Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Tuesday met with Janajati (indigenous) leaders of various political parties who have been demanding identity-based federalism.
Contentious issues of constitution drafting, fresh Constituent Assembly (CA) election announced by the government, formation of national consensus government and resolving the current political stalemate, among other issues, featured prominently during the meeting held at prime minister's official residence at Baluwatar.
PM Bhattarai called the Janjati leaders at a time when the latter are said to have agreed on the formation of a cross-party joint front to press for identity based federalism.
More than 30 Janajati leaders including UML vice chairman Ashok Rai, UML politburo member Prithivi Subba Gurung, DB Lama, Malla K. Sundar, chairman of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Raj Kumar Lekhi, former chairman of NEFIN Dr Om Gurung, former minister Rakam Chemjong, Minak Lal Shrestha, Indra Kumar Gurung Pari Thapa.
During the meeting, the Janajati leaders said that there is no alternative left for the major political parties but to agree to federalism while doing state restructuring.
PM Bhattarai held consultation with the Janjati leaders as part of the series of high-level meetings he has started to exert pressure on the political parties to end the current political deadlock.
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