Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister has ruled out holding talks with the agitating Terai-based armed groups ahead of the key constituent assembly polls, saying the demands of the Madhesi community living in the southern plains for greater representation and autonomy has been accepted.

Girija Prasad Koirala said at a time when the entire country is gearing up for the election on April 10 there is no point in holding talks with armed groups of Terai as all the problem has already been solved. "Agreement has been reached on the main problems of Terai and armed groups should also respect the agreement," he said.

Nepal's Terai plains are home to about half of Nepal's 27 million people, and the residents of the region, known as Madhesis, have long complained of discriminations by the Himalayan nation's hill communities. The government recently signed an eight-point pact with the United Madhesi Democratic Forum, an alliance of the Terai-based parties, accepting their demands for inclusion, more representation and regional autonomy.

"Since holding talks one after another may disrupt the election process, the government is not in a position to hold further dialogue with any armed group," the prime minister told mediapersons yesterday in his hometown Biratnagar. "The government is not in favor of wasting time on the pretext of holding talks now on the eve of polls," Koirala said.

The Prime Minister said a conducive atmosphere for polls has now been created after the agreement last month to provide greater autonomy and decision-making powers to the Terai region, increased representation to the Madhesis community of Indian ethnic origin in the state structures and to provide Rs 1 million compensation to the families of those killed during the agitation in the region.

Source : PTI