Miscellaneous
‘Govt change after Jan 22’
CPN-UML senior leader Jhala Nath Khanal has indicated change in the government leadership after January 22 regardless of progress in constitution writing.The remark from the second largest party in the Constituent Assembly (CA) comes while parties are struggling to write a new constitution within the self-imposed deadline. “Government leadership will be changed even if the constitution is not promulgated within deadline,” Khanal told reporters after attending an interaction in the Capital on Friday.
UML had extended its support to Nepali Congress-led government for a year for what it said to promulgate the new constitution within the deadline. Without elaborating post-January 22 power sharing scenario, Khanal said UML would be happier even if the other parties form the new government. “That would be better for us as we will get enough time to work for the party,” he said when asked about speculations that NC is exercising to continue with the incumbent government by bringing opposition UCPN (Maoist) and Madhes-based parties.
Former UML chiefs Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal have already led the government after 2008 CA election and incumbent party chief KP Sharma Oli has not yet got that opportunity. A section of UML leaders project Oli as new prime minister provided the party gets such opportunity.
Before having a candid conversation with reporters, Khanal said the issue of power sharing has not been floated among top leaders so far. “If somebody is thinking about change of guard that is different, but the issue has not yet been floated formally.
But promulgation of constitution by January 22 and replacement of government, President, Vice President and Speaker are already agreed issues between the Congress and the UML,” Khanal said, adding, “We are open to discuss any issue.”
Khanal opposed the opposition parties’ demand that disputed issues of the new constitution be sent back to the Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee from full CA.
Stating that 2006 People’s Movement showed avenues of changes, Khanal said the constitution promulgation would be possible once parties compromise for the sake of federalism, secularism and pluralism among others.
He said disputed issues of the constitution writing should be resolved through voting if their maximum efforts for settling the issues go futile.
Despite rounds of formal and informal talks, major parties are yet to reach an understanding on key constitutional issues—federalism, form of governance, electoral and judicial system.