Biratnagar – Former Chief Minister of Koshi Province, Kedar Karki, has ended his hunger strike after receiving assurances that his demands would be addressed. Karki, who began his indefinite strike on Tuesday, broke his fast at 9:20 PM on Wednesday by drinking juice from the hand of a 42-day-old baby boy, Shivshankar Bahadur Sharma. 

The strike ended following a critical agreement between Karki and Koshi Province's Minister of Internal Affairs and Law, Leelavallabh Adhikari, who pledged to meet Karki's demands.

Karki had launched his hunger strike at Devkota Chowk, protesting the reduction of popular programs implemented by his government. His demands included free healthcare with specialized services for children under 10, a policy to exclude projects below NPR 2.5 million from the budget, and the immediate operationalization of the Shailaja Acharya Heart Disease Treatment Center.

Other significant demands included providing incentives to female health volunteers, maintaining the export incentives for ghee and powdered milk, allocating sufficient budget for the development of the Sunsari-Morang Kesaliya Corridor, and offering scholarships for students pursuing agricultural and technical education, as well as doctors and engineers. He also called for the creation of an animal-friendly forest.

Karki’s decision to end the strike was symbolized by drinking juice from the hand of Shivshankar Bahadur Sharma, a baby whose family had received free medical support from Karki after the child struggled to access nutrition due to financial difficulties during a seven-day hospital stay.

The agreement was finalized in the presence of Finance Minister Ram Bahadur Magar, marking a significant victory for Karki and his supporters. The province government is now committed to addressing his list of demands, which has garnered widespread attention and support.