After months of haggling, three major parties have formally proposed revising federal boundaries through a high-level political mechanism in three months. The major parties have also offered to grant “constitutional validity” to the mechanism in order to allay fears of the Samyukta Loktanatrik Madhesi Morcha, an alliance of four Madhes-based parties. But despite indications of positive response, no formal agreement has been reached yet on signing a final deal to end the Tarai crisis.  

During a meeting on Saturday, members of the SLMM taskforce and representatives of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) also agreed to ensure broader legitimacy to the proposed mechanism and its terms of reference by endorsing it through Parliament.

The mechanism would revise the federal boundaries in line with recommendations of the state restructuring commission.

In a list of proposals that were put on the table during Saturday’s meeting, representatives of major parties also offered Morcha leaders either to register SLMM’s own proposals seeking amendment to the Constitution Amendment Bill or support the revision proposals that the three parties would collectively register.

The amendment bill, which awaits a vote in Parliament, seeks to revise provisions pertaining to the constituency delimitation and proportional and inclusive representation in all state bodies.  

The three-party taskforce forwarded the offer hours after a meeting of their top leaders outlined the list of things they could do to bring the Morcha on board.

“There is categorical instruction from top leaders to show maximum flexibility on all issues to find a solution to the ongoing crisis within next two days,” said Prime Minister KP Oli’s Chief Political Adviser Bishnu Rimal. “A breakthrough now largely depends on Morcha’s willingness to compromise on key issues.”

He said that three major parties would, however, take the constitution amendment process, which is currently now on hold, forward if the Morcha fails to come to agreement by Monday.

Party leaders also said that a breakthrough now “largely depends on how tactfully the joint taskforce uses the ‘leverage of concession and compromise’ to find a meeting point on disputed issues, including state demarcation”.

During Saturday’s meeting, Morcha leaders welcomed the fresh offer but asked representatives of the major parties to be more specific about the revision, arguing that the proposal still falls short of guaranteeing state demarcation in line with their demand.

Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal leader Mangal Siddhi Manandhar, who attended the meeting in place of party’s Co-Chair Rajendra Shrestha, said that the three major parties have outlined things they plan to do to address the concerns of the agitating parties. “We have asked them to be more specific on demarcation issues. But still, we have taken today’s proposal in a good light,” said Manandhar.

Morcha interlocutors, who had earlier sought explicit assurance for two provinces along the Tarai plains, are now seeking assurances that the revision would not disintegrate the Madhesi and Tharu people.

If Tharu and Madhesi clusters are kept intact during the revision, it would at least ensure a separate Tharuhat/Tharuwan province.