The three major political parties have jointly called on the agitating parties/groups for talks. A meeting of Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) on Wednesday evening invited the disgruntled sides, including the Madhes-based parties, for talks to negotiate their demands.

 Although the joint statement signed by NC President and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal appeals the agitating groups to utilise the talks and participate in the process of revising the constitution, it does not mention how they will accommodate the demands raised by Madhesis, Tharus and Janajatis, among others, in the constitution.

The statement is also silent about one of the chief conditions set by the agitating groups: halting the CA process until the talks have concluded. UCPN (Maoist) Vice-chairman said both the talks and the constitution writing process will take place simultaneously. Similarly, UML Vice-chairman Bhim Rawal said the three-party leaders have made an understanding not to halt the constitution writing process.

Even if the disgruntled groups reject to join the talks, the top leaders of the three parties agreed to hold informal talks with them.

The appeal for talks comes just days after the Bijay Kumar Gachhadar-led Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik broke off its alliance with the three major parties over the issue of federal delineation, also the reason behind the ongoing protests in several Tarai districts.

Madhesi Morcha declines

Kathmandu:  The leaders of Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha have ruled out the possibility of talks with the government under current circumstances.

The talks will take place only if  the major parties agree to halt the constitution writing process and address the conditions we had set earlier, said Morcha leader Upendra Yadav. Another Morcha leader  Rajendra Mahato claimed that the major parties were still not serious about seeking a solution to the current crisis. For the talks to take place, he said the constitution writing process should be stalled and the government should issue a written commitment to fulfil

the past agreements reached with Madhesi parties. The other demands of Morcha include lifting the emergency in the Tarai districts designated as riot-affected zones and providing martyr status to those people who died in Tarai protests.

PM proposes halting statute process

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala on Wednesday proposed at the three-party meeting to halt the constitution drafting process to start fresh talks with the disgruntled groups, including the Madhesis, Tharus, and Janajatis.

Koirala made such proposition after 30 lawmakers of Nepali Congress (NC) representing the Madhes and Tharu-dominated constituencies urged him to stall the constitution drafting process and start fresh negotiations with the agitating Tharu, Madhesi, Dalits and Janajati groups.

The NC lawmakers had warned of walking out from the constitution writing process and even quitting the party, if their concern is not duly addressed.

However, a senior leader who attended the three-party meeting told the Post that CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli rejected outright the idea of stalling the constitution writing process.

The UML chairman told prime minister that halting the constitution writing process will further complicate the matter. NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula also advised the prime minister against stalling the constitution writing process.

Prime Minister Koirala told the meeting that pressing ahead with the constitution writing process by ignoring the ongoing agitation in Madhes will deepen the crisis and will prove suicidal.

He told leaders that a constitution adopted by disregarding the concerns raised by the agitating groups will not be accepted by all. Even the international community will not be pleased with such move, he added. Earlier in the day, Koirala had assured the NC lawmakers from Tarai that he would discuss their demands with leaders of other parties. Besides inviting the disgruntled groups for talks, the NC lawmakers had demanded the PM to include Chure region in province-2, resolve the dispute over citizenship provision, guarantee representation of Madhesis in all state bodies, and redraw the electoral constituencies.

“We have made it clear to the party leadership that the nation is heading towards civil war. Half of the population are out in the street. If the party ignores their demands, we will have very few options left,”said NC lawmaker Surendra Prasad Chaudhary after his meeting with Koirala.