“A comprehensive deal is no longer possible but there will be some kind of agreement on key issues by Thursday evening that will pave the way for extension of the CA term,” said a highly placed source privy to behind-the-scenes negotiations. [break]
Will the basic deal include the resignation of the prime minister? The source said Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal will have to eventually go but that will happen only after a comprehensive deal is inked. “But there will be some kind of assurance by tomorrow [Thursday] evening that PM Nepal will eventually step down.”
Is India on board in this kind of deal? The source claimed that it is. “India also favors a deal because it ensures stability in Nepal, which is very much in the interest of India.” The source further added, “India also agrees that the prime minister has to eventually go.”
Nevertheless, India still seems dead against Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal leading a proposed national consensus government. “If Dahal agrees to someone else from his own party leading the national unity government, we could well have a Maoist-led government," the source further said, adding; “Otherwise, NC may get a chance to lead such a government.”
After a series of meetings that failed to yield any concrete result on Wednesday the three parties have agreed to sit for yet another round of dialogue Thursday, just a day before the two-year term of the CA expires.
Top leaders of the Maoists, NC and UML and the prime minister held a meeting in the morning at CA building in an effort to find a meeting point and arrive at consensus. The meeting, however, was cut short as Dahal left early to attend a pre-scheduled program.
Dahal and Nepal had held a separate meeting following the joint meeting that lasted for over half an hour.
Though Nepal told Dahal that he would meet him after holding separate meetings with the NC and UML leaderships, the prime minister again met the Maoist chairman in the afternoon at the residence of former UML lawmaker Krishna Lal Maharjan at Bal Kumari, Lalitpur, without holding any meeting with NC and UML leaders.
During the one-on-one meeting, the prime minister reiterated that he was ready to step down should the parties forge consensus on all issues of contention to ensure the conclusion of the peace process and promulgation of a new constitution during the extended term of the CA, according to a source close to the prime minister.
The meeting between Nepal and Dahal came after a meeting of Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood with the prime minister in the morning. Sources said the envoy had conveyed to the prime minister the Indian position on issues relating to government change and the peace process.
Wednesday´s series of talks ended with a meeting again of Maoist, NC and UML leaders in the evening at the CA building to hold further discussions.
Dahal briefed the meeting on his meeting with the prime minister. “We have taken it very seriously that the prime minister was bent on dissolving the Constituent Assembly instead of coming to a consensus for saving it,” Maoist Vice Chair Narayan Kaji Shrestha told media after the meeting that lasted nearly two hours.
The meeting, however, could not make headway as the ruling NC and UML reiterated their stance that the Maoists must agree to the six-point agenda sorted out earlier with a clear commitment in action to immediately manage their combatants in order to pave the way for the resignation of the prime minister and formation of national consensus government -- the two key demands of the Maoists.
The ruling parties repeated that the Maoists should also come to a consensus on various issues of contention that surfaced in the constitution drafting process to ensure the promulgation of a democratic constitution, said NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC.
Meanwhile, parliament meeting was put off till 8 am Friday as the parties failed to forge consensus on extending CA term.
koshraj@myrepublica.com