Major parties’ reluctance to discuss revision on the federal set-up has emerged as a key hurdle in finding a breakthrough in the ongoing talks, Madhesi and Tharu leaders have said. They said that major parties are yet to come up with a joint proposal on province demarcation to begin the talks in earnest.

“We have not even entered the actual issues despite having several rounds of informal and a formal meetings. This has raised a serious question on the sincerity of the major parties,” said Laxman Lal Karna, co chair of Sadbhawana Party, also the member of the talks team for Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM).

The SLMM, a coalition of four Madhes-based major parties, has demanded that the Tarai region should be federated into two states.

“Discussion on the nitty-gritty of federal boundaries can begin only when to parties make their position clear. Unfortunately, that is not happening,” said Hirdesh Tripathi, leader of Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party.

Like SLMM, other Madhes-based parties spearheading the protest under various fronts, have put forward revision of the federal set-up as their key demand. But they have floated a different federal model than the SLMM.

Bijay Kumar Gachhadhar-led Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, which is leading a separate front of Madhes-based partes, wants three provinces in Tarai, though the party has said it is open to other alternatives like dividing some disputed districts with hills and the plain.

“It’s appreciable that major parties are amending the constitution to address the concerns over electoral constituencies and proportional and inclusive representation. But they should also address the concerns related with federal set-up,” said MJF-L General Secretary Ram Janam Chaudhary.

 The government on Wednesday registered a amendment proposal in the parliament in order to make changes in the election constituency delineation and inclusive and proportional representation in all bodies.