The discussion between parties on peace process and constitution-drafting did not result in any progress. In the meeting of the Constitutional Committee on September 13, the Nepali Congress put up condition—“We will not let the work on constitution-drafting move forward until there is further progress on the peace process”. Though Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai asked the Nepali Congress not to up any condition in the constitution-drafting process, the Congress leaders did not budge from their stance. They said that since the UCPN (M) has disappointed many times in the past, the constitution should be drafted only after there is substantial work on the peace process. Then the meeting of the Constitutional Committee was postponed indefinitely. Constitution-drafting also came to halt as it was tied to the peace process.

The UML issued a statement after passing special motion from its Central Committee—“It is clear that the new constitution cannot be promulgated until the peace process is complete. It is necessary for the prime minister and the UCPN (M) to be flexible from its earlier stance to make necessary progress on the peace process”. In the Parliamentary State Affairs Committee, prime minister Bhattarai proposed taking the peace and constitution-drafting process forward simultaneously as they are interrelated. He claimed that the government was sincere in peace and constitution-drafting process and asked the parties to help the government.

In a bid to resolve the deadlock on the peace process, the prime minister Bhattarai proposed to re-categorise the Maoist combatants within 5 days in a meeting with the leaders of the Nepali Congress. The talks failed after the Congress sought a consensus in a package regarding the number, standards, and modality of combatant integration, and return of captured property. The after there was no progress on the peace and constitution-drafting process, the prime minister threatened that he would resign if he was not let to do his work. UCPN (M) chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal supporting the prime minister said that if there is no agreement with UML and Nepali Congress, it would unilaterally go ahead with re-categorisation of the combatants. From within the party, vice-chairperson Mohan Vaidya faction expressed dissatisfaction with the government and UML and Nepali Congress also voiced suspicions saying there was no progress on the peace process.

Speaking to the parliament on September 20, the prime minister Bhattarai stressed “implementing the agreements and seeking consensus on the rest” and asked “to start the process of re-categorisation with a modality of the integration, rehabilitation package, and a rough number of combatants for integration. However, there has been no agreement since the Nepali Congress and UML have not budged from their stance of a package deal.

Major Developments