NC ASKS MAOISTS TO BE FLEXIBLE Kathmandu, 27 April: Leaders of opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) held discussion with Chairman of the Unified CPN-Maoist on Friday regarding the contentious issues that are to be incorporated in the new constitution, RSS reports. The NC leaders had reached the residence of Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to discuss the controversial issues just a day after the Maoist party floated a fresh proposal on state-restructuring. During the meeting, leaders of both the parties agreed to move forward seriously on constitution writing process and settle the disputed issues appeared in constitution writing process by forging consensus. During the meeting, NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel urged the Maoist Chairman to be a little flexible on the proposal of the 10-federal states. Similarly, responding to NC leader Paudel, Dahal said backtracking from the proposal was not as easier as other parties might have thought and reminded NC leaders the steps taken by the Maoists to forward the army integration. On the occasion, the Maoist chief sought flexibility from the leaders of the NC and CPN-UML on the issue of state-restructuring. Dahal said that his party had sacrificed in the army integration process and added that it was time for the NC and the UML to be flexible on state restructuring. The Maoist chief also underscored the need for federalizing the country based on identity and capability as far as it was possible. NC leader Paudel was accompanied by General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula. nnnn