Kathmandu, July 3

The three major parties together with the parties associated with the United Democratic Madhesi Front Tuesday held discussions on four agendas-- constitution, election, government and budget with a view to resolving the current crisis.

At the top leaders’ meeting held at UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda’s residence at Lazimpat, the ruling and the opposition parties, however, stuck to their positions- the ruling proposed that there should be a package deal whereas the opposition parties argued that first the government should step down.

Nonetheless participating leaders remarked that the meeting ended in a positive note as the leaders engaged in an open discussion over the issues after a long interval.

"The meeting has been positive," Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai made a brief remark when asked about the meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha informed that the Maoist party proposed the other parties to start negotiations on the new constitution from the point where they had reached at the last hours of May 27, the day when the term of the Constituent Assembly had expired without promulgating the new constitution.

"We proposed for making agreement on the content of and process for promulgating the new constitution first as formation of national consensus government under Nepali Congress party has already been agreed upon," DPM Shrestha said.

He said that the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML did not show much interest in discussing about budget as they asked the ruling parties to focus on government change.

DPM Shrestha said that

the Maoist party was open to discuss on both revival of the dissolved CA or election to a new CA. "Our opinion is that fresh election is the best democratic option, and the opposition parties should take responsibility of constitutional and legal hurdles regarding the revival of the CA."

Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Nepali Congress leader, commented that the discussions were positive although they could not draw any conclusion.

He said the top leaders would meet again to find the common ground on the issues. He, however, did not mention when such a meeting would be held.