Nepal's Prime Minister G P Koirala on Saturday slammed the door for further discussion with the United Madhesh Democratic Front (UMDF), refusing their demand that the terai region be made a single province under a federal Nepal.The agitation by UMDF and resultant bandhs for the past three days in the terai has totally disrupted movement of essential commodities to Kathmandu as all the supply routes pass through there. The capital city has virtually come undera grinding halt because of non-availability of fuel including diesel, petrol and cooking gas.“Under no circumstances shall I concede the demand for terai as a single unit being turned into a state,” Koirala said in Biratnagar, his hometown — the venue he has chosen to make major, and sometimes controversial statements over the past few months.In the same spirit, he said he will not do anything that will endanger the unity and integrity of the country, nor “will I accept the demand for right to self-determination raised by any quarter.”This is likely to stall further dialogues with the Madheshi groups that Koirala had initiated only on Friday. The UMDF had demanded the elevation of the terai region as a state with autonomy.
