Miscellaneous
Dahal steps up negotiations
The UCPN (M) chief meets President Ram Baran Yadav and leaders of Madhes-based parties to discuss the matter.He met with President Ram Baran Yadav and the chairmen of three Madhes-based parties— Mahanta Thakur of Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party, Rajendra Mahato of Sadbhawana Party, and Anil Jha of Nepal Sadbhawana Party—on Thursday and urged them to make efforts to demarcate the federal states ahead of the constitution promulgation. He also assured the Madhes leaders that he would hold negotiations with the leaders of the ruling CPN-UML and Nepali Congress on the issue.
The Madhes leaders told Dahal that there will be a protest in the Tarai if the new constitution fails to meet their demands.
The Maoist chairman also talked with Upendra Yadav, chairman of Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum, over telephone.
On Wednesday, Dahal had discussed the issue with Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli.
The Madhes-based parties were allies of the 19-party alliance led by Dahal. They withdrew their support to the alliance following the 16-point agreement among the four major political parties, including the Maoist. The Madhes parties were upset with the June 8 deal which had agreed to delineate the federal provinces through transformed Parliament after the promulgation of the new constitution.
The Maoist chairman started meeting the disgruntled Madhes leaders soon after his return from a week-long India visit on Monday.
Dahal has said that the Indian leaders did not clearly suggest that the demarcation of federal states should be finalised before the constitution promulgation, but advised him to secure a broader support of all politcal forces to make the constitution durable.
Though Nepali Congress and UCPN (Maoist) seem to be willing to hold discussions on the delineation of the federal states, CPN-UML leaders have stood against the idea, saying that it would delay the constitution drafting process.
UML leaders have said that entering negotiations on the issue of state restructuring at this point would be going against the spirit of the 16-point agreement.