Top leaders from CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) on Friday held bilateral negotiations, mainly focusing on the issue of state restructuring.
Among other disputes on the issue of delineating provinces, leaders from the two parties also discussed various options on settling disputes regarding five Tarai districts -- Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari in the east and Kailali and Kanchanpur in the far-west. Resolving dispute over these five districts has emerged as the most challenging task in constitution writing of late.
UCPN (Maoist) Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha said they held issue-based discussions after a long time. Maoist leaders proposed that these five districts either be declared union territories for now or a commission be entrusted with the task of settling the issue.
"Similarly, we also proposed delineating these districts on the basis of dominant communities residing there. The areas dominated by Madhes-based communities can be included in Madhes province while the hill-community-dominant areas can be included in a hill province," UCPN (Maoist) Secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi told Republica. "But UML leaders were against the idea. They said these districts can't be separated from the hills."
UML leaders said there was no point in declaring specific five districts union territories or entrusting a commission to settle disputes over these districts.
"Either the entire task of state restructuring should be entrusted to a commission or the issue should be settled in its entirety," said UML Chief Whip Agni Kharel. "Specific districts can't be dealt with in isolation."
Kharel also said that they can't accept any proposal that promotes separation of Tarai, hills and the mountain regions as it would disturb communal harmony.
Also, leaders from Nepali Congress and Madhes-based parties held talks at the prime minister's official residence in Baluwatar on Friday.
"After a long time, we held a very constructive issue-based discussion with the prime minister. We still have differences over whether or not to include the five disputed districts in Madhes provinces," said Sadbhavana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato.
Leaders decided to hold the next round of joint meeting between the four sides on Saturday.
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