According to leaders and interlocutors, the districts could be divided based on their population for instance. According to the proposal, population density could be a basis while dividing the areas. If a particular Village Development Committee has a majority of hill origin people, then it may be aligned with hilly districts. However, if the Madhesi community has a majority, such VDC could remain with the Madhes.

There are differences among the parties over whether Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kailali, Kanchanpur and Chitwan districts should remain in Tarai provinces. A section of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leaders representing these districts wants them in Hill provinces. But the opposition front including Madhesi parties wants to have them in Madhes.

Madhesi parties are against mixing Tarai districts with hilly districts to form a federal state. They have also made it clear that there should not be more than two provinces in the plains. The seven-province joint proposal of the ruling parties divides Madhes into more than two provinces, a position untenable to the regional parties.

But Madhesi leaders familiar with the developments say there could be a way out provided the ruling NC and UML offer some “flexible options”.

Madhesi Janadhilar Forum-Loktantrik leader Jitendra Narayan Dev argues that the idea to have Chure as the dividing line could offer a solution. “Our idea is to build an inclusive state and not to sow the seeds of communalism. We could discuss the proposal,” he said.

Others also support the idea and call for using it to settle the dispute. According to Sarvendra Nath Shukla, general secretary of the Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party, the issue over the disputed districts could see an end if there is an agreement on the principles such as population density and cultural proximity. “These are the bases agreed to in the first Constituent Assembly. We can discuss them,” he said.

Leaders maintain that if the ruling party leaders are concerned about access to borders for the hilly districts, they are willing to go for “north-south” division of some VDCs. The six districts remain contentious as some of the senior leaders see their political future in them. UML Chairman KP Oli and NC General Secretary Krishna Sitaula come from Jhapa. Leaders say that the Koiralas, families related to the late prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, want to have a separate identity for Biratnagar, a sub-metropolis and the district headquarters of Morang.

Ruling party leaders maintain that there will be a ‘package deal’ on the contentious issues and issue-wise agreements will not be made. “Everything will be dealt with together,” said NC Joint General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka, adding that any measure to break the districts may not be acceptable.