A meeting of the ruling 10 political parties on Sunday also concluded that new constitution must be promulgated through the CA as per the mandate given by the people. [break]
The request of the ruling parties comes in the wake of the main opposition Maoists not agreeing to support bill unless the government steps down and the ruling parties agree to form a national consensus government. Maoist support is a must to pass bill through a two-thirds majority.
"There is no alternative to move ahead by extending the CA term at a time when the CA has failed to promulgate new constitution on time...," said a proposal passed by the meeting.
The proposal urged all parliamentarians and political parties including the Maoists to help endorse the bill through to meet the responsibility to institutionalize federal democratic republic and take the peace process to a logical end and draft a new constitution.
The government on May 17 registered a constitution amendment bill proposing extension of CA term by a year.
The meeting was attended Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel, CPN-UML leaders KP Sharma Oli and Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Democratic) Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party Vice President Hridayesh Tripathi, Sadbhawana Party President Rajendra Mahato, CPN-ML Chairman CP Mainali, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana, CPN (Samyukta) Chairman Chandra Dev Joshi, Socialist Democratic People´s Party Chairman Prem Bahadur Singh, ministers and party leaders.
The meeting held detailed discussions on current political situation and asked Prime Minister Madhav Nepal to furnish clarifications on his controversial remarks that CA was not his agenda.
The leaders present in the meeting including Poudel, Tripathi, Mainali and Lohani complained that the prime minister´s remarks have put the government´s commitment to new constitution in question. Lohani said the fringe parties were seriously concerned about his remarks.
According to Tripathi, the prime minister said that his intention was not as was reported in the media. The prime minister had clarified that he happened to make the remarks due to tongue slip.
VP urges for CA term extension
Meanwhile, Vice President Paramananda Jha has urged political parties to extend CA term to fulfill Nepali people´s desire to promulgate new constitution through the elected CA.
Issuing a press statement five days before the CA term expires, Jha said the failure to extend the term will invite constitutional and political crisis and confusion.
Jha said the CA is the best platform to draft new constitution. "People have not conceived any other authorities to draft new constitution following the expiry of CA term against their desire to promulgate new constitution through the elected CA," he said.
Jha said he does not see any alternative to CA term extension through constitution amendment.
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