After concluding that they will not be able to ensure the required numbers in Parliament to amend the constitution, the governing parties now have expedited consultations with the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) to address the agitating party’s other demands. 

RJP-N’s other demands include increasing the number of local units, declaring those killed during the movements martyrs, compensation to those who were injured and withdrawing cases against leaders and cadres in relation to the Madhes and Tharuhat movements.  

Nepali Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi and Maoist Centre’s Narayan Kaji Shrestha from the government side and Brikhesh Chandra Lal and Laxman Lal Karna from the RJP-N held talks earlier this week to find ways to address the RJP-N’s concerns. 

RJP-N leader Karna said some issues including withdrawing cases, declaring martyrs and providing compensation were linked with the Ministry of Home Affairs, hence discussions would be held with Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma soon. The Ministry of Home Affairs is learnt to have started studying the previous government’s decisions regarding the RJP-N’s concerns. 

As far as the RJP-N’s demand of increasing the number of local units is concerned, an earlier decision of the previous government to add 22 local units in 12 Tarai districts was stayed by the Supreme Court. So it is not clear how the governing parties and the RJP-N plan to go about it. Sources claimed that leaders are consulting legal experts as well to find ways to resolve the issue. 

“It is up to the government how it address this issue,” said Karna.

The RJP-N, which got registered with the Election Commission on Saturday, has not said clearly whether it will participate in the third phase of local elections scheduled for September 18 in the wake of the governing parties’ admission that they would not be able to amend the constitution. 

The party, however, is under pressure to join the poll process. The party’s decision to boycott the second phase of elections held on June 28 has been criticised with the party, with some leaders asking the leadership whether the move was right.

“We are discussing all options to resolve the issues,” said RJP-N leader Rajendra Mahato.