As the deadline to register amendment motion to constitution draft draws closer, major three parties have intensified bilateral consultations in order to address the 'genuine concerns' of Madhes, Dalit, Janajati and Tharu constituencies.

On Thursday morning, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal met Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to discuss the possible way out of the ongoing protests in the Madhes and nation-wide protests of Janajati.

Dahal told PM that first priority should be bringing the agitating parties to the negotiation table. If the talks are not materialised due to the pre-conditions of agitating parties, Dahal floated the idea of addressing their genuine demands to move forward.

"Even if they refuse to join negotiation table, we could address the genuine demands and promulgate constitution as per the schedule," Dahal told Koirala. Dahal said PM Koirala should take some special measures to break the deadlock. "Our party Chairman told Koirala that constitution drafting process should not be stopped but demands of Madhesi, Tharu and Janajati should be addressed," Dahal's aide Chudamani Khakda told Post.

Koirala said the agitating parties are refusing to sit for talks though he has already dispatched two letters addressing them. Similarly, talks between UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-UML is also taking place very soon. 

After the bilateral talk produces some result, parties are preparing to hold three-party meeting. Three-party meeting has been called for 3 PM today in order to discuss the possible solution of the crisis.

Similarly, major parties are holding informal negotiation with agitating Madhesi parties to seek a solution.  Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) are still struggling to overcome divisions in meeting demands of Madhesi and Tharu communities.

The Madhes-based parties have made it clear that they will sit for talks only after the three parties come up with a joint proposal on addressing their demands. Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has already invited the agitating forces for talks twice, but with no headway.  

According to negotiators, the UML is pushing for an early promulgation of constitution, claiming that a proposed federal commission in the draft constitution will address the aspirations of the Madhes and Tharu communities once the charter is in place. The party insists the constitution should be promulgated retaining the seven-province model, or it should be done without demarcation as stated in the 16-point deal.

The constitution writing process will face legal complications unless there is an agreement by Saturday—the final day of registering amendment bills by lawmakers. In such event, the current CA rules of procedures need to be changed to extend time for registering amendment bills. Otherwise, the process will move ahead.

Meanwhile, the UCPN (Maoist) and the UML held a bilateral meeting on Thursday to find a political solution to the ongoing protests. 

According to sources, UCPN (Maoist) leaders told UML that some genuine concerns of Madhesi, Dalit and Janjati should be addressed before constitution promulgation. But the UML said there won't be any problems to promulgate a new constitution.