The opposition parties have finally decided to sit for talks with the ruling parties after a month of frosty relations.
A meeting of 30 opposition parties led by the UCPN (Maoist) on Thursday decided to sit for talks with the ruling NC-UML. However, the alliance has warned of another protest if they fail to forge a consensus in five days time.
"On 10 March, we will hold another meeting. If there will be no consensus by then, we will announce another protest," said Ram Janam Chaudhary, General Secretary of Madhesi People's Rights Forum (Democratic), a member of the 30-party alliance.
The opposition and ruling parties have not held formal talks after the Constituent Assembly (CA) formed a panel on 25 January to hold a vote on the disputed issues of the new constitution.
As the opposition parties boycotted talks with the ruling parties, the CA Chair Subhas Nembang put on hold the voting process on 12 February. However, the opposition parties still continued with their protests.
Ignoring Prime Minister Sushil Koirala's requests for talks, the opposition alliance organised a rally in Kathmandu on 28 February. On that same evening, the UCPN (Maoist) leader Baburam Bhattara had left for India, where he sought India's role in Nepal's constitution making process.
After the Maoist-Madhesi rally, the NC-UML had asked the CA Chair Nembang to call a meeting. The opposition alliance decided to rejoin talks just a day after the NC-UML decided to push for the voting process.