Senior leaders of CPN-UML and Unified CPN-Maoist

Senior leaders of CPN-UML and Unified CPN-Maoist have held discussions on the constitution writing process after a long hiatus. The leaders of the two parties, at the meeting held at UML Chair K. P. Oli's residence at Balkot today, deliberated on efforts to seek agreement on the constitutional issue of federalism- the issue that has been the bone of contention among the political parties till date. The two parties had not sat for official talks ever since the protest and unruly behaviour at the Constituent Assembly on January 19. Both parties in the meeting today had presented their respective views on the issue of federalism. Leaders of Unified CPN-Maoist, while voicing readiness for open dialogue on going for 6 or 9 states, had remained firm on their previous stance on the structure and naming of states. BITE... Similarly, leaders of CPN-UML had expressed readiness to seek consensus on the issue of state restructuring, but urged the opposition party not to make the agenda of naming and carving of states a matter of prestige. Emerging from the meeting, leaders of both the parties termed the talks held after a considerable hiatus positive, and informed the talks were moving ahead being centred on specific issues. BITE... Saying both parties would make maximum efforts for consensus, the leaders also informed that the dialogue would be continued so as to promulgate the constitution on the basis of consensus. Leaders of CPN-UML attending today's meeting included Chairman K. P. Oli, Vice-Chairperson Bidhya Bhandari, General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel and leader Agni Sapkota, while leaders of Unified-Maoist to the likes of Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', Vice-Chairman Narayankaji Shrestha, General Secretary Krishna Bahadur Mahara and leaders Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Top Bahadur Rayamajhi were also present at the meeting.