UML leaders KP Oli and Bidya Bhandari after meeting with NC, UCPN (M) and MJF (D) leaders on Sunday. Photo: RSS

Four major political parties have decided to not suspend the constitution writing process – a precondition set by a coalition of Madhesi parties to sit in talks with the government.

A meeting of the NC, the UML, the UCPN (M) and the MJF (D) on Sunday decided to carry forward the constitution writing process and talks with the disgruntled parties simultaneously.

In response to a letter sent by Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, the Madhesi parties had put forth preconditions for talks like suspension of the constitution writing process, withdrawal of the army and commitment to honour the spirits of the Interim Constitution-2007 as well as the past pacts with them.
Ruling party leaders, however, say the army can be called back from the Tarai to create conducive environment for talks.

After protesters demanding a Tharuhat state killed eight policemen and a child in Kailali and riots broke out in Rautahat and Sarlahi last week, the government had deployed the army in these three Tarai districts. The Supreme Court later backed the government’s decision by scrapping a writ petition seeking a stay order on the army deployment.

In the Constituent Assembly (CA), debate on the draft constitution is ending today. After five days of debate on the draft, the CA secretariat has allotted a week’s time for further amendments to it. Top leaders say this period can be used to hold talks with the disgruntled parties and incorporate their views in the draft.

“We have agreed to address demands of the disgruntled parties without halting the constitution writing process,” UCPN (M) leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha told National News Agency. “One week allotted for amending the draft will suffice to do this.”

Apart from the Madhesi Front, PM Koirala has also written letters to Tharu, Janajati and Dalit leaders. But Mohan Baiday’s Maoist party that boycotted the last CA elections has not been invited for talks.