Leaders of seven opposition political parties have said that the seven-party alliance and the Maoists were holding talks with a view to evolve a single view regarding the procedure of going for an election to a constituent assembly and further strengthening the 12-point pact.

Speaking at an interaction in the capital on Saturday, central committee member of the CPN-UML, Shankar Pokharel, outlined the need of finding consensus between the parties and the Maoists regarding the procedure of the constituent assembly, according to reports.

The alliance and the Maoists have differences of opinions about the ways of holding the assembly polls.

Content of the talks would not be made public unless they were agreed upon between the two sides, Pokharel said, adding that the peaceful joint movement of the agitating parties would not succeed unless the Maoists suspended violence like blockade and general strikes.

Central working committee member of the Nepali Congress (NC) Dr Shekhar Koirala said, “We are holding serious talks with the Maoists to further strengthen the understanding and get it fully implemented.”

He also informed that the talks are underway to remove confusions that emerged since the signing of the understanding.

The seven opposition political parties and Maoists signed a 12- point understanding in November last year to find the peaceful outlet of the Maoist insurgency and to bring Maoists into mainstream of politics.

Speaking at the same programme, NC (Democratic) leader Dip Kumar Upadhyaya urged the King to heed on the flexibility shown by the Maoists to find a solution to the political crisis.

Vice chairman of People’s Front Nepal Lilamani Pokharel said that the violent activities of Maoists should not affect the alliance’s planned agitation beginning from April 8.

He also pointed out the need of upgrading the 12-point understanding between the political parties and Maoists and hoped that the talks would bring positive results.

Joint general secretary of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Rana) Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, however, stressed the need for evolving a common political roadmap between the King, parties and the Maoists to find an amicable solution to the crisis.