KATHMANDU: The main ruling parties — CPN-UML and Nepali Congress — have begun groundwork for a proposed high-level political mechanism which aims to facilitate the peace process and constitution drafting.

In order to expedite the process of formation of such mechanism, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and CPN-UML president Jhala Nath Khanal today consulted NC president Girija Prasad Koirala at latter’s residence Maharajgunj. During the meting, the trio agreed to start necessary homework at the earliest.

The leaders also agreed to sit with UCPN-Maoist tomorrow to discuss the issue.

Earlier, UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, during his meeting with Koirala on July 27, had agreed to participate in the mechanism. The Maoists have been maintaining that the mechanism should facilitate the peace process and constitution drafting process, and not the government.

Talking to The Himalayan Times, NC’s parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudel,

who also attended the meeting, said that they would discuss the issue with the Maoist tomorrow and begin the homework. He also said that today’s meeting also dwelt on the slow pace of the constitution drafting process.

“All parties should come together to gain the pace to the constitution writing process,” Poudel said. During the meeting, NC

president Koirala urged the PM not to bypass the fringe parties while forming the mechanism.

Koirala had proposed the high-level mechanism two months ago while addressing the Parliament. According to a leader, the mechanism is the best platform to accommodate the Maoists in the peace process and constitution writing process.

The UN Security Council, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon had also underlined the need for forming such high-level political mechanism “to guide the peace process and ensure its completion.”