KRISHNA SINJALI

If all goes well, the seven-point deal is likely to see Maoist ex-fighters finally leaving the camps (like this one, right, in Chulachuli of Ilam) that they have lived in now for nearly five years. All Maoist commanders have cautiously welcomed the seven-point deal, and there isn't expected to be any major opposition to it. However, in Surkhet, deputy commander Durga Chaudhari held a press conference on Thursday denouncing the deal. "How is it suitable for a party that got to power by waging an armed struggle to suddenly be a representative of the Buddha and preach peace?" he asked.

Across the political spectrum, there was a surprising new unity of purpose to see the deadlock ended. Some NC leaders raised doubts about implementation because of the ambiguity in Tuesday's agreement about returning seized property by 23 November. Nevertheless, such is the overwhelming public pressure on the politicians to end their bickering and deliver on peace and the constitution that they have finally acted, even though it took them three years to do what should have taken six months.

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