maximum flexibility to be adopted for new constitution-pm koirala

Kathmandu, Nov 9: Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has said that the UCPN (Maoist) party should conduct itself according to the norms and values of a democracy after joining the democratic mainstream.

"The party should not continue its act of threatening now that it is part of the political mainstream", he said.

Speaking at a joint press conference organized by the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, RPP, Bahujan Shakti Party and two independent MPs to make public the agreements reached so far on the major contentious issues of the upcoming constitution, the Prime Minister said consensus does not happen in just words, it needs to be put into practice.

The major works of the peace process including arms management, combatant management were accomplished through the medium of dialogue, the same can be done in the joint proposal put forth by the NC-UML alliance on the new constitution, he said.

"Nepal has spent 60 years of its history in struggle, how long do we want to struggle now, how long do we want to do politics in the name of poverty", he said, while expressing the confidence that the new constitution would open the door to stability and development in Nepal.

He also said that the new constitution would come as a document of common consensus of the political parties and on coming January 22.

"Maximum flexibility shall be exercised in course of promulgating the new constitution", he added.

Also speaking at the press conference, CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli said the seven-province model was agreed as per the need of the country and people, and that it could not be increased.

The new constitution will come on January 22 with the support and trust of all parties inside and outside the CA, he added.

Our joint proposal is not intended to leave any side or ignore any party.

The UML Chair also stressed on the need to unite the Nepalis together for consolidating nationality unity and integrity, while alerting parties against provoking the people and spreading public disenchantment.

NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel, senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, Senior UML Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and Vice-chairs Bidhya Bhandari and Bhim Rawal were present on the occasion.

Also present were RPP General Secretary Dipak Bohara, Bahujan Shakti Party Chair Biswendra Paswan and independent lawmakers Ataharkamal Musalman and Chandreswar Jha.

On the occasion, Minister for Information and Communications Dr Minendra Rijal read out a joint press statement. RSS