KATHMANDU: UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal today met President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and deliberated on the contemporary political issues.

Dahal’s meeting with President Yadav has been watched keenly for it holds significant importance in national politics. The UCPN-Maoists have been protesting the President’s move to reinstate former chief of army staff Rookmangud Katawal.

This is Prachanda’s first meeting with the President ever since the former stepped down from the government citing parallel power centres.

Lalit Bahadur Basnet, aide to the President said that the head of the state expressed his concern over the delay in constitution drafting and the peace process. “He called upon the Maoist supremo to expedite the constitution drafting process and take the peace process to a logical end while taking heed of national integrity, sovereignty and public interest,” Basnet added.

Basnet disclosed that Prachanda assured of his commitment to the constitution drafting and peace process to the President. Prachanda. However, he sought national consensus to that end, he added.