Top leaders from the ruling coalition and the main opposition party Nepali Congress discussed about ending the political deadlock with the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), at the PM's official residence at Baluwatar.
During the meeting, PM Oli urged all the parties to hold open discussions and to focus the discussions on seeking a solution to the present crisis.
"The tone of the meeting was positive. The prime minister briefed all the leaders about the current situation. He urged that all sides should work to end it through continuous dialogue," said Minister for Law and Justice Agni Kharel.
"Leaders from the agitating parties reiterated the losses suffered during the protests and they were not negative in tone," he added.
Following the PM's address to the meeting, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) Chairman Mahantha Thakur urged the major three parties to come up with a common and concrete proposal about provincial delineations.
"We told the leaders of the major parties how the security forces had been operating in Madhes to supress the protests and how the government, in not providing relief to the families of protestors who died during the protests, had failed to foster an environment for settling the issues through dialogue," said Lal Babu Raut, vice-chairman of the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN).
"The PM proposed continuous dialogue and we agreed to join the next round of talks on Wednesday, urging the major parties to come up with a common understanding on changing the provincial demarcations," he added.
TMDP Vice-Chairman Hridayesh Tripathi said that the meeting on Monday set the tone for the talks scheduled for Wednesday.
"Leaders from all sides discussed the seriousness of the ongoing political situation although the meeting could not enter into the core issues. However, the meeting could be termed positive as all key leaders involved in promulgating the constitution attended and participated in a serious tone," he said.
"We are waiting for Wednesday's meeting to see how the major parties deal with the contentious issues," Tripathi added.
CPN (UML) leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal, Bhim Rawal and Ishwar Pokharel, Nepali Congress Chairman Sushil Koirala and leaders Sher Bahadur Deuba and Ram Chandra Paudel, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice-Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa attended the meeting.
When TMDP Chairman Thakur was attending the meeting at Baluwatar, FSFN Chairman Upendra Yadav, Sadbhavana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato and Tarai Madhes Sadbhavana Party Chair Mahendra Raya Yadav were in Biratnagar announcing intensification of the protests.
"The meeting in Biratnagar was scheduled weeks ago. By the time the PM summoned the meeting at Baluwatar they were already in Biratnagar," said Raut.
"We have been saying clearly that we will sit for talks but at the same time continue the protests until the issues are addressed," said TMDP Vice-Chairman Tripathi.
The meeting summoned by the prime minister comes after an interruption in the negotiations. Formal meetings among the parties had stalled since the last meeting held on November 15.
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