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KATHMANDU, AUG 06 - Top leaders of four major political parties on Wednesday said that though they are “close to consensus” on disputed issues of constitution drafting, they still need to go the extra mile to settle the issues such as number and demarcation of federal units, secularism, and provisions on citizenship.
Emerging from the marathon four-party meeting, CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar claimed that they hope to settle all the issues by Thursday.
As expected, the issue of delineation dominated the Wednesday’s cross-party meeting. The meeting, the leaders said, generated more hope about possible consensus, though there are still some disputes that need to be settled. They also said that they would probably agree to settle for a six-province federal model.
As five districts Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kailai, Kanchanpur and Saptari
have emerged as bone of contention in the state restructuring debate, the major parties are discussing various alternatives.
Contrary to Tuesday’s position, the parties on Wednesday agreed in principle not to split these districts but incorporate them as parts of either the Tarai or the hill provinces.
The leaders said they have agreed to incorporate Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari and Kanchanpur in the hill province. However, the disputes over Kailali and Saptari
could not been resolved till late evening.
On the delineation of federal provinces, the three parties, NC, UML and MJF-L, have more concerns while UCPN (Maoist) has said that it is willing to be flexible on the issue. The main opposition, UCPN( Maoist) has agreed to settle on a six-province model, provided that other contentious issues—secularism, citizenship and inclusive and proportional representation of margnalised communities—are settled in a package.
The UML remained firm on its position that Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts should be incorporated in the hill province. The MJF-L, however, is not pleased with the idea.
Stressing that the three districts should be part of Tarai region, MJF-L Chairman Gachhadar said if these districts are incorporated in a hill region, then Saptari should also be part of a hill province.
NC and UCPN (Maoist) leaders countered Gachhadar’s argument, saying that Saptari has large number of Madhesi population and it could not be kept under a hill province.
Personal interests of some NC and UML leaders in these five districts have also complicated the demarcation row. They want to incorporate Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari in the hill province. Senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML leader Bhim Rawal also want to incorporate Kailali and Kanchanpur in a hill province.
Thirty five lawmakers close to NC and UML have demanded that nine districts in the far-west region should be kept intact. “As a pressure tactics, some top NC and UML leaders urged lawmakers to submit the memorandum which has complicated the settlement of the disputed districts,” said Maoist Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha.
If the disputed issues are resolved by Thursday, the Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee (PDCC) will submit its report at Constituent Assembly on Friday. After the four-party meeting, PDCC Chairman Baburam Bhattarai said though many issues have been resolved, there has not been agreement on some vital issues such as demarcation, number, secularism and citizenship. “There is a need of compromise among the parties on some of the issues,” Bhattarai said.
UML Chairman Oli said that positive discussions are underway on disputed issues. “We are close to consensus,” he said.
Closer to deal
- Top leaders of major parties say they would probably agree on a six-province federal model.
- Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari and Kanchanpur could be incorporated in a hill province. But disputes remain over Kailali and Saptari.
- If all disputes are resolved on Thursday, PDCC will submit its report at CA on Friday
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