Blame Game Start Among Parties

Kathmandu, May 21: Yet again, the consensus on constitution writing eluded at the meeting of the top political parties after the leaders continued blame game in the meeting held to sort out thorny issue of state restructuring on Monday evening.

With this, the hope of the promulgation of new constitution within May 27 grew bleak.

UCPN-Maoist Vice-Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha accused the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML of becoming adamant on adopting federalism based on the provision in the interim constitution.

He added the NC and UML were for the constitution without federalism. They are against constitution, he blamed again.

However, he said the issue of state restructuring would be settled through voting from next day.

Similarly, Nepali Congress Vice-President Ram Chandra Poudel accused the Maoists of backtracking from the May 15 agreement on province which deterred consensus.

He further said the NC could not backtrack from 11 province federalism. But the agreement between the Maoists and United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) was obstruction to consensus on constitution.

Moreover, UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said they failed to reach consensus on constitution writing because of the Maoists' conspiracy for the ethnic federalism. Even the distrust among political parties was responsible behind this, he added.

However, leader Nepal expressed confidence that they would forge agreement by next day.

On the occasion, Acting Chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Loktantrik), Raj Kishor Yadav also accused the NC and UML of disagreeing on federalism. They are against federalism, he added.

However, he said discussion would be continued till the last moment.

He claimed that if voting was adopted to decide on state restructuring, either 10 provinces (recommended by state restructuring commission) or 14 provinces (recommended by state restructuring committee) would get more than two thirds of votes.