The largest party, Nepali Congress, snubbed a meeting called by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Monday evening.

NC chief Sushil Koirala, senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and Vice-chairman Ram Chandra Poudel were invited for a consultation with the major parties and the agitating Madhes-based parties.

However, in her meeting with the CPN-UML, the UCPN (Maoist) and the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha at Sheetal Niwas, President Bhandari said the delay in reconstruction of earthquake-affected areas could trigger a humanitarian crisis as the days get chillier.

Expressing serious concerns over the hardships faced by the people across the country due to the prolonged Tarai crisis and the delay in endorsing the Reconstruction Bill, Bhandari urged the parties to work together for an early breakthrough by giving up their personal differences.

“It’s disheartening to see earthquake survivors suffer harsh winter due to the differences between the major parties. There should be no delay in allowing the House business and endorsing the bills,” Bhesh Raj Adhikari, Bhandari’s personal assistant, quoted her as saying.

During her first meeting with cross-party leaders after her election in October, President Bhandari also expressed concerns over the delay in resolving the Tarai crisis. Reminding that she had urged all the parties a month ago to work together to resolve the Tarai crisis, she raised concerns over the lack of progress in talks between the major parties and the Madhesi Morcha.

The regional parties have been on the warpath for the past four months demanding greater autonomy in the plains. Prime Minister KP Oli said discussions were in progress about ending the Tarai crisis. “There are still some ambiguities in their [Madhesi parties’] demands. Efforts are on to seek an amicable solution,” a leader present in the meeting quoted Oli as saying.

UML leaders Jhala Nath Khanal and Kishore Pokhrel, Maoist Chairman Dahal and his deputy Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party Chair Mahantha Thakur among others attended the meeting.

Dahal told the head of state that the differences among the major parties would end soon. Major parties and the Madhesi Morcha have been disrupting Parliament to stop bills related to reconstruction and constitution amendment, respectively. Thakur said the major parties were not serious enough to resolve the Tarai crisis.