Skip to main content

Nepali Congress still divided on way forward

Majority leaders express doubts on statute implementation without consensus among major political forces on amendment proposal

Nepali Congress, the largest party in Parliament, is yet to come with a united front on the constitution amendment bill, raising questions if the coalition partner has whole-heartedly supported the proposal.
NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba has reiterated that he was confident of the Sanyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha and the main opposition CPN-UML coming to consensus on the amendment bill. If that was not the case, he believes that the government would be able to garner enough votes, with the support of Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the Madhesi Morcha, to pass the amendment bill through the Parliament. The former prime minister has reportedly warned its cadres on going against the proposal.
But a majority of leaders from the party, during public speeches around the country, have raised concerns over some of the issues raised by the bill and have urged the government to take into account the main opposition too before voting for the amendment proposal.
Despite the fact that the amendment bill was registered in Parliament with the support of NC, major of the party leaders have raised concerns over it, NC leader Ram Sharan Mahat said. He lamented that their party leadership had failed to take into account the sentiments of the people before taking an official stance on the amendment bill. “Even the main opposition has shown immaturity by seeking for a solution from outside the Parliament,” said Mahat.
The government registered a constitution amendment bill in Parliament last Tuesday with an aim to address the demands of the Madhes-based parties, mainly over the state boundaries, language, citizenship and representation in Upper House.
Speaking at a programme in Nawalparasi on Tuesday, NC general secretary Sashank Koirala noted that it would not be possible to go ahead with implementing the constitution without the support of the UML. Hinting at his reservations on the government’s proposal to split the Hill districts of Province 5 to incorporate it into Province 4, he said that the government had not been able to hold enough dialogue with all political forces, or with the citizens themselves, before taking a decision on such a sensitive matter. Koirala added that if the government would be wise enough to withdraw the bill if it failed to take into account the UML, Madhesi Morcha and RPP.
Former NC general secretary Prakash Man Singh also expressed his doubts if the government would be able to garner enough votes to support the bill in its present form. “Doors are always open to amend the bill itself if that brings the UML and Madhesi Morcha on board,” he said.
Defence Minister Bal Krishna Khand, Pushpa Bhusal and Chandra Bhandari have also voiced their displeasure at the government's plan to change the federal boundaries of Province 4 and 5. The bill has tried to create Province 5 a Madhes-only state with a view to appease the Madhes-based forces.
However, NC ministers in the government are still hopeful on the amendment bill being passed. Speaking at a function in Chitwan on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi pressed on the need to create a condusive environment to support the amendment bill for the sake of implementing the constitution. He claimed that an amendment proposal was necessary for the larger ownership of the statute, elections and stability in the country.
Published: 07-12-2016
The Kathmandu Post



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Bhattarai stresses on rebuilding Nepal-India ties

- Kamal Dev Bhattarai Former Prime Minister and Coordinator of Naya Shakti Nepal Baburam Bhattarai has said that there is a lack of ‘proper understanding’ in India about Nepal. Speaking to Post before concluding his visit to India on Tuesday, leader Bhattarai said mainly young generation of India has some flawed understanding about Nepal and bilateral relations between the two countries. The former prime minister maintained that there is a need of dialogue, debate and discussions to rebuild the bilateral relations in the change political context Nepal and India. Bhattarai made such remark after extensive discussions with Indian intellectual and policy makers during his seven-day stay in New Delhi.  Bhattarai underlined the need for building a bilateral relation between two countries at the top political levels. Bhattarai was of the view that there has been a huge change in the political scenario of both countries and bilateral relation should be rebuilt accordingly. He ...

Elections to oppose regional politics: Chair Oli

CPN (UML) chair and former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has said that the upcoming elections will vehemently oppose and respond to the regional politics and forces involved in disharmonizing the social cohesion. Speaking in a program organized to extend thanks to the volunteers, artists and media for their presence and support shown during the party's Mechi-Mahakali Campaign (March 4-18), leader Oli said so. He added that the people will answer those forces by giving a majority seats to his party from upcoming elections. Leader Oli further shared that the party will launch more effective programme in Province No 2 in near future. He added that the Madhesi morcha showed apolitical behaviors against UML during the campaign being intolerable due to fear of ending their illusion against the constitution and UML if UML launched effective and harmonious programs in Tarai. In another context, chair Oli shared that the attorney general suggested the election commission to touch ...

Way paved for forming constituency delineation commission

  Paving the way for the formation of a commission to recommend new electoral constituencies under the new constitution, parliament on Monday endorsed the Constituency Delineation Bill through fast track. In less than 10 months, the government must finalize new electoral constituencies in line with Article 286 of the constitution for holding provincial and parliamentary elections. Article 84 of the new constitution has proposed reducing the existing 240 electoral constituencies to 165 for parliamentary elections. Likewise, as provisioned in Article 176, the number of electoral constituencies for a given provincial assembly will be double the number of lawmakers that province sends to the federal parliament.  The commission will finalize altogether 495 electoral constituencies, including 165 for the House of Representatives and 330 for the provincial assemblies. Amending the original bill tabled by the government, parliament included a provision stating that a co...