Top leaders of Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (UML) and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) met at the Prime Minister's residence in Baluwatar on Wednesday in a bid to forge consensus among them on key issues like implementation of republic from the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) and appointment of a 'ceremonial president'.
According to UML general secretary Jhal Nath Khanal, who was present at the meeting, the three parties agreed to go for a president with ceremonial role once the Constituent Assembly (CA) declares the country a republic.
The three parties also agreed to implement republic from the first meeting of the CA on 28 and amend the interim constitution to introduce the provision of ceremonial president.
The likely composition of the next government, which is expected to be led by the Maoists, was also discussed at the meeting.
MJF and NC leaders had held a separate meeting in Baluwatar after the tripartite meeting.
NC president and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel, UML general secretary Khanal, Amrit Kumar Bohara and Bharat Mohan Adhikari, MJF coordinator Upendra Yadav and few other central leaders of the three parties were present at the meeting.
The three parties will hold another round of meeting on Thursday.
MJF, which has emerged as the fourth largest party after the CA election, has been demanding amendment in the interim statute to introduce the provision of single majority of the CA to unseat the Prime Minister, instead of the existing two-thirds provision.
While NC and UML have agreed to amend the statute the Maoists are strongly opposed to this idea.
Even as there is general understanding on removing monarchy and declaring the country a republic from the first meeting of the CA, bilateral and multilateral parleys over the past few days haven't been fruitful in reaching agreement on the formation of new cabinet. nepalnews.com mk May 21 08
