The government today wrote a letter to the United Madhesi Democratic Front (UMDF), an alliance of three agitating Madhesi parties, inviting it for formal talks on Terai issues.

Highlighting the need to conduct the historic constituent assembly election successfully, the letter signed by government’s talks coordinator and peace minister Ram Chandra Poudel asks the Front to agree to resolve all the problems though dialogue, it is learnt.

The government’s invitation for talks came as an indefinite general strike called by the UMDF continued to paralyse normal life across Terai region since yesterday.

The UMDF has also warned of a blockade in Terai if the government does not implement the 22-point agreement signed months earlier with the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, a constituent of the three-party alliance, and respond positively to its six new demands that include guarantee of an ‘autonomous Terai state’ with right to self-determination and proportional representation of Madhesis, Janajatis, Dalits and other marginalised groups in state organs including the Nepal Army.

Meanwhile, UMDF leaders have confirmed they have received the government’s letter.

Nepal F.M quoted Mahantha Thakur, a leader of the UMDF and the chairman of Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party, as saying that the UNDF would respond to the government’s letter after internal discussion. nepalnews.com mk Feb 14 08