Demarcation dispute delays constitution drafting

Ex-PM Bhattarai holds PM Koirala responsible

PM unhappy with seven-province model: Bhandari

KATHMANDU, Aug 21: The constitution drafting process has been delayed further as interparty talks aimed at resolving disputes over proposed provincial boundaries failed to make headway on Thursday even as the extended deadline given to the CA's constitution drafting committee for preparing the final draft is expiring on Friday.

Leaders claimed that the hours-long talks among leaders from Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, UCPN (Maoist) and Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D) couldn't reach a decision as Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, who is also the president of NC, did not attend the meeting.

Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai of UCPN (Maoist) said they couldn't take a decision due to absence of the prime minister. He said leaders from other political parties have decided to urge the prime minister to take initiatives for a solution.

"NC leaders said they will talk to the prime minister and enquire him about his absence," Bhattarai told reporters while emerging from the meeting at Singha Durbar on Thursday evening.

The prime minister remained absent from the crucial interparty negotiations as he is dissatisfied with leaders, who proposed seven province model. The proposal was jointly floated by NC and UML last year as an alternative to the six-province model agreed upon by the major political parties earlier this month.

Leaders said the prime minister is irked by "some leaders' tendency to frequently shift goal-post."

UCPN (Maoist) leaders had reportedly proposed seven-province model on Wednesday while CPN-UML leaders were ready to discuss the matter.

CPN-UML Vice-chair Bidya Bhandari said the prime minister is unhappy as the proposal has been floated at a time when discussions are being held on finding a solution by making some corrections to the six-province model.

"The prime minister objected to the seven-province model at brief meeting held in the morning today. Then, he didn't show up at the meeting in the evening," said Bhandari.

According to her, the prime minister is for putting Rapti, Bheri and Karnali zones in a single province.

Krishna Sitaula, chairman of drafting committee, however, claimed that his committee would revise the draft constitution based on suggestions offered by the CA's Constitutional Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee (CPDCC) if the top leaders' team does not suggest any solution by Friday.

On federalism, the Bhattarai-led CPDCC has proposed six-province model.

UML Vice-chair Bhim Rawal, who is also a member of the drafting committee, claimed that they will present the revised draft constitution in the CA' full House by Friday evening.