KATHMANDU: High-level political talks did not convene as expected today as Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala instructed second-ranking leaders of the three parties to resolve the terminologies of the proposed sankalpa prastav first.

“First, you finalise the terminologies from your level. Then, we, the three party chiefs, will have a consensus on the

issue,” NC vice president Ram Chandra Paudel quoted party president Koirala as telling them. Koirala this morning met some senior leaders, including acting president Sushil Koirala.

Paudel said the second-ranking leaders would again try to find consensual terms for the sankalpa prastav at the earliest, before the deal gets final touch.

The Maoist top brass has been asking

other parties to mention even in the softest terms that the move of President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to reinstate the then army chief Rookmangud Katawal was wrong.

The main coalition partners — the NC and the CPN-UML — are of the opinion that alleging the President will create a moral crisis for the ruling coalition, which was formed on the same ground, filling the

vacuum created by the resignation of the Prachanda-led government calling the move unconstitutional.

The parties, almost seven months after Madhav Kumar Nepal assumed office as the Prime Minister on May 25, held a number of meetings, formed

several task forces and drafted the common

motion. However, they failed to reach a consensus and every meeting ended with their repeated stances.

Even now, the second-ranking leaders of the parties seem to be unable to make a stance. They want a bold decision of the top leaders, who are able to calm grievances in their party. However, they are not ready to exercise their authority.