The oath dispute, which has once again pitted southern Nepal's Madhesi community against the rest of the nation, is likely to be resolved Aug 23.

If Jha refuses to take the oath in Nepali, he could be sacked. If he takes the oath again, his aides say his life would be in danger in the Terai plains where people would consider him to have abandoned the Terai cause.

While four Terai parties that are in the ruling coalition favour amending the constitution to include a new provision that will allow people to take the oath of office in the language they favour, most of the other parties are against it.

Though Hindi is widely understood and spoken in Nepal and Hindi films and songs are preferred to Nepali ones, yet during official use the language is frowned upon as it is identified as an Indian language.

The Terai parties are campaigning for the inclusion of Hindi as an official language in the new constitution that comes into effect next year; however, it is likely to be doomed with the major parties, including the Maoists, opposing it.