A day after their return from New Delhi, leaders of the agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) sat for talks with the three major parties on Thursday, reaching an agreement to let Parliament endorse the Reconstruction Bill—in a first major sign of thawing relations between the Madhes-based parties and three major forces.

During Thursday’s meeting, the SLMM and three major parties—CPN-UML, UCPN (Maoist) and the Nepali Congress—also agreed to intensify formal and informal negotiations to find a point of compromise.

Leaders from both sides have said they are hopeful of finding a solution to current crisis through continuous engagement.

During Thursday’s meeting, which lasted nearly 30 minutes, both sides also discussed the three-point proposal put forward by the major parties.

In response to SLMM leaders’ request to clarify their position on its 11-point demand, the ruling and opposition parties said they would hold discussions before sitting for next round of talks with the SLMM. The next meeting has been scheduled for Friday.

“We requested them (three major parties) to do additional homework regarding our 11-point demand,” said Sadbhawana Party leader Laxman Lal Karna.

SLMM leaders on Thursday afternoon held internal discussions to make a common position on major parties’ three-point proposal, which has been dubbed “the political roadmap” to end the political crisis. Madhes-based parties, which have been spearheading protests at border points for more than three months, have raised the demarcation issue strongly.

The three-point proposal floated by the major parties seeks to expedite constitution amendment process, address the border demarcation issue through a political committee in three months and end to protests in the Tarai.

Though the Madhes-based parties have said addressing demarcation issue is their bottom line, they have given indications that they would show some flexibility.

SLMM leaders, who have been saying that the three-point proposal “does not sufficiently address” their concerns—particularly the border demarcation issue in three months—however, have expressed hope that the three parties would reciprocate by showing flexibility on their part as well.

Of the four top leaders of the Madhes-based parties, Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party Chairman Mahantha Thakur and Sagnghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav returned home on Wednesday after their four-day visit to New Delhi where they met the Indian establishment and leaders of various political parties and apprised them of their position, their demands and the ongoing protests.

So far, so good

- Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha agrees to let the House pass the Reconstruction Bill

- Major parties and SLMM to intensify formal and informal negotiations in order to find a point of compromise

- SLMM gives indications that they will show flexibility

- Prime Minister KP Oli calls for SLMM leaders’ cooperation to pass Constitution Amendment Bill