Senior leaders of the three major parties and of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) have zeroed in to resolve the remaining contentious issues in the constitution making process.
The leaders of UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the UDMF have got down to serious homework gathering for a three-day residential deliberations at a resort in Hattiban, some 20 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu. Even security guards and private secretariat members of the leaders have been returned from the meeting site to allow the leaders to concentrate on the task at hand.
The resort has also been closed for any outside guests, media persons as well as general public.
The meeting began at 2 pm on Sunday. Though no formal announcement has been made of the developments so far, Maoist leader Dev Gurung said the first round of discussion among the senior leaders has been completed, and at present an intra-party discussion is underway.
The leaders will come back for a joint meeting on Monday where they will share their respective parties' views, he said.
The Maoist party in the meeting has been represented by Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Vice-presidents Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Mohan Baidhya and Narayan Kaji Shrestha, General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa and leaders Dev Gurung, Hitman Shakya and Khim Lal Sapkota.
Likewise, NC President Sushil Koirala, Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel, senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, General Secretary Prakash Man Singh and leaders Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Bimalendra Nidhi, Arjun Narsingh KC and Dr Minendra Rijal are taking part in the meeting on behalf of Nepali Congress.
The UML is represented by Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, KP Sharma Oli, Vice-president Bamdev Gautam, General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel, leaders Bhim Rawal and Surendra Pandey.
On behalf of the UDMF, President of MFJ-Democratic, Bijaya Kumar Gachchadar, Officiating President of MFJ-Republican, Raj Kishore Yadav, leader of Tarai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party, Hridayesh Tripathi, President of Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party, Nepal, Mahendra Yadav and President of Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato are taking part in the deliberations.