The governing CPN (Maoist Centre) has said broader political consensus among parties is needed for prompt restructuring of local bodies in line with the three-point agreement that the party and the Nepali Congress (NC) have signed with the agitating Madhes-based parties.

A report of the local body restructuring commission formed by the erstwhile commission will be key to holding the local level elections, which the new governing alliance of the Maoist-NC plan to hold by March. It will be difficult for the government to hold local level elections, especially in the Tarai region, unless the concerns raised by the agitating Madhes-based parties are addressed.

A meeting of the Maoist Centre headquarters on Friday dwelt on finding ways to forge consensus among all parties regarding local body restructuring.

Maoist leaders are of the view that changes in the Local Body Restructuring Commission (LBRC)’s terms of reference (ToR) are possible if all the political parties arrive at consensus for the same. The agitating Madhes-based parties have been demanding that the LBRC halt its work, saying restructuring done based on its report “would prevent Madhesi people’s political representation”.

On Wednesday, the Madhes-based parties had obstructed the work of commission in Saptari, alleging that “it is plotting to derail federalism”.

“The erstwhile UML-led government had unilaterally prepared the ToR of the commission. Other parties, including the Maoist Centre, were against it,” said Haribol Gajurel. “Now we are seeking changes in the commission’s ToR to ensure restructuring in such a way that it could also take cultural factors into account besides geography.”

The new government has already expressed dissatisfaction at the work of the LBRC and called for improvements.

But in the absence of political consensus, the LBRC is mired in confusion.

LBRC Coordinator Balananda Poudel said party leaders have also called for going beyond the districts while restructuring the local bodies. “But that could result in legal complications,” he said. Poudel said the parties should forge consensus on restructuring at the earliest so as to ensure that it produces its report by its March deadline.

Poudel also said that changes in the fundamentals of the ToR could further delay commission’s work.