The four major political parties today agreed to form a national government only after forging consensus on the new constitution.
A meeting of the four major political parties – Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, UCPN-Maoist and United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), an alliance of major Madhes-based parties – at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwater today agreed in principles to issue a consensus-based constitution through a fast track before forming a national consensus government to carry out reconstruction works in aftermath of the devastating April 25 earthquake.
Though, Nepali Congress leaders have been blaming UCPN-Maoist and CPN-UML of deviating from the major task of constitution writing, they have been hell-bent on forming a national consensus government at the earliest.
The meet also agreed to request Constituent Assembly (CA) chairman Subas Chandra Nembang to postpone the CA meeting for five days and assign chieves of four political parties to seek agreement on contentious issues of the constitution. The CA meeting has been scheduled for this afternoon.
UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ told the media – after the meeting – that serious discussion was held regarding finalising the constitution writing and formation of a national consensus government.
Dahal claimed that they will reach an understanding to forge a consensus on the remaining issues of the new constitution tomorrow. “It will be a relief to the people, if we guarantee the new constitution,” he said, adding that they will continue the political parleys to forge consensus on these issues till June 3. “It was necessary to move ahead by forging consensus on rehabilitation and reconstruction work, after finalising the remaining issues of the new constitution.”
After the meeting, UCPN-Maoist senior leader Baburam Bhattarai wrote – on his Facebook page – that the parties also agreed to form a national unity government so that they can concentrate all energies on the reconstruction campaign, though he did not clarify whether the consensus government will be formed before or after the constitution.
Likewise, Nepali Congress vice president Ramchandra Poudel, after the meeting, said, that they have agreed to hold discussion on national consensus government, only after forging consensus on the promulgation of the new constitution. “We have also agreed to expedite the discussion to forge consensus on constitution writing and national consensus government within five days,” Poudel added.
CPN-UML vice chairman Bhim Rawal also accepted that the political parties have agreed to finalise contentious issues of the constitution writing and national consensus government.
The major political parties in the CA have been intensely engaged in formation of national consensus government deviating from the primary goal of constitution writing and post-earthquake relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

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