Koirala nay to Madhes autonomous state

KATHMANDU, JUN 23 -
Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala said on Saturday that his party would not accept the UCPN (Maoist) proposal to form an autonomous Madhes state covering 11 districts, calling the idea inappropriate.

The statement comes at a time when the UCPN (Maoist) is in internal talks to form the state following pressure from the party’s Madhesi leaders in order to “address the aspirations of the Madhesi people”. The proposal is aimed at winning the support of Madhesi people in the upcoming election. Speaking at a programme in Sundarijal, Kathmandu on Saturday, Koirala said the NC would stand for multiple provinces in the Tarai.

“No matter what states they make as part of their election strategy, we will not approve a single autonomous Madhes state in the new federal set-up,” said Koirala. The NC is pitching for at least five states in the Madhes if the parties agree on more than 10 provinces in total. The Maoist party is preparing to carve out the state by covering Mithila, Bhjopura and Awadh states as part of their election campaign. NC President Koirala made it clear that his party would like separate states in the plains. UCPN (Maoist) Madhes in-charge Haribol Gajurel said the party was prepared to form the state and they were working on responsibilities to be assigned to leaders.

The proposed state will include Dhanusha, Mahottari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Nawalparasi, Kapilvastu and Rupandehi districts. The party’s Central Committee, slated to meet next week, may endorse the proposal. Gajurel said they were discussing the idea with some Madhes-based parties.

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