Consensus eludes parties on federalism; voting likely on contentious issues

Major political parties Monday appeared nowhere close to an agreement on the number of federal states as well as the basis for creating the states with the leaders saying that voting on the disputed issues is getting more likely.

"I did not see things moving to a positive direction in today's meeting," UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal told reporters after the top-level meeting held at the office of the Army Integration Special Committee in the premises of the Constituent Assembly in the evening.

Similarly, Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh K.C said that possibility of deciding the disputed issues through voting had grown as the parties stood firm in their stances.

Madhesi Front leader and Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar said the parties would meet on Tuesday morning for the last time aiming to strike a deal on the federalism and form of governance. He said the issues would enter the CA if Tuesday's talks failed to arrive at an understanding.

Earlier, the major parties including the Madhesi Front had sought consecutive extensions of the deadline to find consensus as they tried to avoid voting in the CA, which is likely to further complicate the constitution-drafting process.

The UCPN (Maoist) has proposed a 10-state model based mainly on ethnic identity while the NC stands firm in its seven-state model. Likewise, the UML has said it is open to 7 to 12 states based on identity and territory.

The parties also differ on the form of governance. nepalnews.com