KATHMANDU, Feb 6: The ruling Nepali Congress(NC) and the agitating Madhes-based parties have decided to make collective efforts to secure two-thirds majority in favor of the seven-point constitution amendment bill tabled in the parliament.
During a meeting held at the residence of NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba in Budhanilakantha on Sunday morning, the two sides decided to hold negotiations with other parties on individual basis to solicit their support in favor of the amendment bill.
“The meeting had only one agenda to solicit support of other parties to endorse the amendment bill. We have decided to make collective efforts to pass the bill,” said General Secretary of National Madhes Socialist Party Keshav Jha.
NC President Deuba had proposed working together to secure two-thirds majority votes in the parliament in favor of the amendment bill at the outset of the meeting. “It is good that we both talk to other parties separately to convince them for the amendment bill,” Jha quoted Deuba as saying in the meeting. “We should now focus only on the issue of amendment.”
The two sides have reached an informal understanding to share what transpires during their separate meetings with other political parties. They will begin negotiations with other parties on the amendment bill starting from Monday.
The NC team consisted President Deuba, General Secretary Shashank Koirala, Treasurer Sita Devi Yadav, Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakash Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Sitaula and Ramesh Lekhak. Likewise, Mahantha Thakur, Mahendra Raya Yadav, Rajendra Shrestha, Ashok Rai, Laxman Lal Karna, Brishesh Chandra Lal, Sarbendra Nath Shukla and Keshav Jha had represented the agitating side.
On the occasion, the Madhes-based parties had asked the ruling parties to revoke the decision of judicial council to prepare non-inclusive list of judges in the High Court and ensure proportional representation of Madhesi, indigenous and other marginalized communities while appointing judges as well as ambassadors. They also expressed concern that the court cases against many of their cadres were yet to be withdrawn and those deceased in the course of Madhes movement have yet to be declared martyrs.
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