CPN Maoist (Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Wednesday met Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and discussed the latest political development.

Talks between the two leaders predominantly focused on the “prospects of a national government to smoothe constitution implementation and holding elections,” confirmed Maoist Centre Spokeperson Pampha Bhusal.

Dahal visited Deuba at the latter’s residence in Budanilkantha to pay a ‘going-away call’ before leaving for Australia on Wednesday to inaugurate a party convention, which he later cancelled at the last moment following a meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli later in the day. During the talks, Deuba is said to have raised the issue of a national unity government to facilitate constitution implementation. “Deuba basically raised the issue of national consensus, and if need be a consensus government, to speed up the implementation process of the constitution and hold three rounds of elections,” said Bhusal.

In May, with the backing of Deuba and the possibility of the agitated Madhesi forces also joining, the Maoist Centre (then UCPN Maoist) had initiated the process of forming a government under their own leadership. However, succumbing to intense pressure from leaders and ministers from within his party, and with the signing of a nine-point agreement with the ruling CPN UML, Dahal had a change of mind to eventually give continuity to the present coalition.

Dahal is positive on forming a national unity government if all major forces forged consensus to move together, Bhusal said. “In order to hold three rounds of elections, to speed up reconstruction work and to accelerate the pace of executing the constitution, Dahal is also positive on the prospects of a unity government.” The government has announced a roadmap to hold three rounds of polls within the next 18 months. Last week, the government unveiled its plan to hold local body elections by December 2016, state assembly elections in April-May 2017 and federal parliament polls by December 2017.

When asked if there was any particular reason as to why Dahal had abruptly cancelled his trip to Australia following a meeting with the PM at Baluwatar, the Maoist spokesperson said: “Dahal had to cancel his trip due to the ongoing political developments and heavy responsibility of the new formed party.”