After violent protests in Kailali and other parts of Madhes, four major parties on Tuesday decided to hold talks with the Tharus and Madhesi parties to discuss their “genuine” political demands.

The Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, UCPN (Maoist) and the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik decided to intensify talks among them, and other parties and stakeholders. Cross-party leaders said they will make attempts to address the demands of Tharus, Dalits and Madhesis.

The meeting concluded that there is still room for incorporating the concerns of the agitating parties. If there is an agreement on the disputed issues, it could be incorporated in the new constitution by registering an amendment proposal.

NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel said the proposed seven-province model is not final. “We have proposed a federal commission to take a final decision on demarcation. We are also in consultation with Madhes-based parties and Tharu groups,” Poudel told the Post.

The Special Committee of the Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee will hold discussions with Madhes-based parties and Tharus that are protesting against the state delineation.

Despite the rigid stance of party Chairman KP Oli, a 

second-rung UML leader privy to the talks said they were working to find a solution. He however refused to divulge the details.

The four parties decided not to halt the constitution drafting process. Deliberation on the final statute draft is scheduled to begin in the Constituent Assembly on Wednesday.

There is pressure on the ruling NC and UML from the Maoists and the MJF-Loktantrik to address the demands of the Tharus. 

One of them is to split the Kailali district to realign the area having dense Tharu population with a Tharu-dominated province.

MJF-L Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar reiterated his position at the four-party meeting that peace cannot prevail in Kailali, or elsewhere in the country, without addressing the Tharus’ concerns. He said the parties should go for eight provinces to pacify protests in the plains.

“I proposed an eight-province model again but there has not been a final agreement,” Gachhadar said after the meeting late on Tuesday evening.

Earlier, a Standing Committee meeting of the UCPN (M) decided that problems in Kailali should be resolved politically. “Though the attack on police officers is a criminal act, the region cannot be peaceful without addressing the political demands,” said Maoist Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha. The Maoist party supports Gachhadar’s proposal to create a new province.

The Maoist party termed the Kailali incident as a conspiracy to derail the constitution drafting process. Deploring the carnage, the four parties alerted Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam to take measures to avert possible communal violence in Kailali and other parts of the country.