In a bid to find a way out of the prolonged crisis over the new constitution, the major parties on Thursday conditionally agreed to withdraw the Army from riot-stricken districts and to make a joint appeal to the agitating Madhes-centric and Tharu leaders for talks. Sending soldiers back to the barracks is one of the major preconditions of the agitating forces for dialogue with the three political parties.

A meeting of the heads of the major parties held at Prime Minister Sushil Koirala’s residence in Baluwatar agreed to recall Nepal Army to create an environment for talks provided that the protesters stage peaceful agitation.

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal proposed withdrawing the Army from the ground, to which leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML responded positively.

“This is for creating a positive environment for talks with the agitating parties. The protesters have also been asked to abandon violent activities,” said Dahal’s Personal Secretary and Maoist central committee member Choodamani Khadka.

The ruling parties, however, will assess the security situation before enforcing the decision. The parties mandated Forest Minister Mahesh Acharya to liaise with the Bijay Kumar Gachhadar-led alliance and the Tharuhat Struggle Committee for formal talks.

A meeting of the central security committee had decided to mandate the chief district officer in riot-hit zones to mobilise the Army to help the civilian authority maintain law and order after protesters killed seven police officials including SSP Laxman Neupane in Kailali on August 24. In Kailali and several other Tarai districts, the administration called in the Army to assist law enforcement agencies after declaring riot-hit zones.

The Madhes-centric parties and ethnic Tharus have been protesting in the Tarai for over a month against state delineation and the contents of the constitution.

They have been calling for revision to the federal boundaries, proportional representation of the marginalised communities, delimitation of electoral constituencies based on population and equal rights to women while granting citizenship. So far, more than 40 protesters have lost their lives including 10 police personnel since the protests broke out.

The Defence Ministry had suggested either full-scale Army mobilisation after a resolution at the National Security Council or recalling the NA from the ground. “The Army should not remain out for long unless the Security Council mobilises it formally,” said a highly-placed source at the ministry.