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Proposal not in country’s interest, it will fail: Thapa

Just as some leaders of the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha dropped a hint that it could support the constitution amendment bill, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Kamal Thapa said on Tuesday that the bill will not get endorsed in Parliament.

The RPP, which has 37 seats in Parliament, is the fourth largest party in Parliament. 
“I don’t know why the main opposition CPN-UML is obstructing House proceedings to protest against the constitution amendment bill which anyway will not pass,” said Thapa at an interaction in the Capital. 
“The bill is cannot accepted in its current form,” he said. “Most of the contents and clauses are not in the country’s interest. That’s why our party will not support the bill,” said Thapa, whose RPP-Nepal merged with Pashupati Shumsher Rana-led RPP to form a unified RPP last month. Before merger Thapa’s party was in the opposition and Rana’s RPP was in the government. 
“Going by the current situation in the House, the bill is not going to get endorsed,” he said at the Reporters’ Club. A two-thirds majority is required in the 594-strong House to pass the amendment bill, and RPP’s role will be crucial. Thapa suggested that the government should seek an alternative to the bill, as the agitating Madhes-based parties themselves have refused to take ownership of it, the UML is opposing it and people are protesting against it.
Stating that the country could plunge into crisis if parties fail to come together, Thapa said protecting national unity is the need of the hour. “All political forces should act responsibly to implement the constitution,” he said, adding that the parties have a constitutional obligation to hold three levels of elections by January 2018, which are not possible without the participation of the agitating Madhes-based parties. 
Published: 07-12-2016
The Kathmandu Post

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