A meeting of the Nepali government and the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) from Sunday to Monday morning reached a crucial agreement, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported Monday.
The deal was expected to end the 12-day Madhes movement in south Nepal's Terai plains, and to clear the deck for Constituent Assembly (CA) elections slated for April 10.
According to the report, the two sides reached compromise on the key UDMF demand -- One Madhes One Pradesh -- which they said would be decided through the Constituent Assembly. They have agreed in principle to form autonomous Madhes state and other autonomous states.
Formerly Nepali ruling Seven-party-Alliance has agreed to fulfill all the other five demands other than declaration of entire Madhes as a single autonomous state with the right to self-determination, put forth by UDMF.
UDMF, an alliance of three major agitating Madhes-based parties--- Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF), Terai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and Sadbhavana Party --- has put forth a six-point demand that includes an autonomous Madhes state with a republican order and right to self-determination.
To press for its demands, UDMF has been carrying out indefinite general strike in the southern plains since Feb. 13, affecting a large portion of the Terai populace.
Some UDMF leaders have left Kathmandu on Saturday to further intensify the Terai agitations.
Madhesi people are the Nepalese mainly living in south Nepal's Terai plains, who are socio-culturally close to the bordering Indians.
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