Kathmandu, Aug. 1 -- Following the communal unrest in Sunsari on the night of July 26 that later spread to several districts in Madhesh Province, Prime Minister Balendra Shah and Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane have stepped up political consultations and outreach efforts.

A review of the timeline of their engagements shows that Lamichhane moved first with a series of meetings involving political leaders and other stakeholders, while Shah later initiated similar consultations. Over three days, Lamichhane held at least half a dozen group meetings, while Shah launched comparable outreach efforts over two days.

In the immediate aftermath of the Sunsari incident, Shah and Home Minister Sudan Gurung focused primarily on secu...