Kathmandu, August 16 After the six-province model agreed upon by four parties – Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Unified CPN-Maoist and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic – has kicked up a controversy, the leaders of the parties have begun discussion on changing the number of provinces. Ruling NC and UML have proposed five- and seven-province models, said sources. The debate on federal model took a new turn today following continuous protests in several districts with protesters seeking to review the six-province model. “We held a positive discussion to address the people’s concerns on demarcation. If necessary, we will have to change the number of provinces,” said UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal after a meeting of the Special Committee of Constitutional Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee held in Singha Durbar today. “NC and UML proposed a five-province model. But we suggested to keep the six-province model and address the concerns of people in Tharu dominant areas and Karnali,” said UCPN-M leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha. The leaders have almost agreed to carve out Karnali special zone, he added. As some Madhes-based leaders, including Upendra Yadav, have demanded to link Province No 2 to hilly province, the four parties today agreed to hold consultations tomorrow with the Madhes-based parties as well, according to Shrestha. The parties are yet to reach an agreement on secularism, as NC, UML and MJF-D have been pleading to remove secularism from preliminary of the constitution and not to mention anything about religion there, while UCPN-M is for not removing secularism and mention it with an explanation, according to sources. NC leader Ramchandra Paudel said discussions were being held on five- and seven-province models to address the dissatisfaction that had surfaced in various quarters. “We have tentatively agreed not to split Rukum and Baglung and include Rukum in Province No 5 and Baglung in Province No 4,” said Paudel. MJF-D leader Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar claimed that the leaders had almost agreed on all other issues except the threshold for the representation in the Parliament under the proportional representation system. Gachhadar may agree on a five-province model if parties agreed to include Saptari district in hilly province, said sources. UML leader Bidhya Bhandari said the parties also discussed whether the Kathmandu Valley could be made a separate province. A member of task force of the Constitution Drafting Committee, Aindra Sundar Nembang, said the task force had almost completed its work to prepare final “Reviewed Bill” of the new constitution and efforts were on to resolve the contentious issues. The CDC is mandated to complete its task tomorrow. No re-appointment in constitutional bodies KATHMANDU: The Special Committee agreed on Sunday not to re-appoint office bearers of the constitutional bodies during the transition. “We agreed not to make re-appointment,” said NC leader Ramchandra Paudel. NC had been pleading against re-appointments, while the UML and UCPN-M had been pleading to make re-appointments in the bodies after the new constitution is promulgated till the appointments are made as per the new constitution.