UML to form high-level commission to address concern of disgruntled indigenous, madhesi leaders

CPN (UML) is all set to form an internal commission to resolve dispute inside the party over the issue of identity-based federalism and forge consensus on addressing concerns of indigenous, madhesi, dalit and other marginalised communities.

A UML politburo meeting Saturday decided to form the commission on state restructuring to suggest ways to avert a split in the party after its leaders of ethnic background threatened to quit the party and form a separate political outfit over differences with party leadership on the formation of identity-based federalism in the new constitution. While the indigenous and madhesi leaders want the party leadership to agree on multiple-identity based provinces in new federal set-up, the top leaders of the party who are mostly Brahmins have rejected the idea.

UML's indigenous (janjati) and Madhesi leaders including party Vice-Chairman Ashok Rai, politburo members Prithivi Subba Gurung, Ram Chandra Jha, Mangal Siddhi Manandhar and Bijay Subba have warned that they will have to defect if the party leadership continued to ignore the "sentiments" and concerns of its janjati and Madhesi leaders.

The high-level commission, whose members will be nominated by the party's central committee meeting today, will comprise senior party leaders and leaders of ethnic background and suggest ways to address the demand of indigenous and Madhesi leaders for formation of ethnic provinces and forge a common position of the party on federalism. nepalnews.com