KATHMANDU, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Talks between the ruling Seven-party Alliance (SPA) and the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) failed to reach a final agreement on Saturday, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported Sunday.

    Seeking common opinion on UDMF's six-point demand, the ruling seven parties of the coalition government held the meeting Kathmandu on Saturday.

    The ruling SPA 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.

    The UDMF leaders abandoned the talks after the SPA argued that it is the task of the Constituent Assembly (CA) to determine the number of federal states and the basis for doing so.

    Asked if talks with the government had broken down, chief of UDMF's talks team Anil Jha said "we are still holding discussions over the proposals made by the government."

    UDMF, an alliance of three major agitating Madhes-based parties--- Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF), Terai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and Sadbhawana Party --- has put forth a six-point demand including 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 convention of social and cultural very close to the bordering Indians.