CPN-UML secretary Yogesh Bhattarai said the number of federal units should not be increased beyond seven.

At an interaction organised by his Department on Sunday in the Capital on Sunday, leader Bhattarai, who is also the chief of party's Publicity Department, alleged the involvement of UCPN (Maoist) leaders Barshaman Pun and Janardan Sharma in Tikapur clash on Monday and warned that it would lead the UCPN (Maoist) towards uncertainty and the country to anarchy.

During the programme, leader Bhattarai stressed on not increasing the number of provinces as per the decision of the party’s standing committee. He, however, said the discontent in the delineation of the provinces should be addressed.

He further added that his party was positive to form constitutional commissions for Muslim, Tharu and Indigenous if they were necessary. Leader Bhattarai said that the party was united for drafting the constitution and there were no different voices in this regard.

On a different note, Secretary Bhattarai said that the USA and some western forces were studying China by staying in Nepal and hence have their interests in our constitution drafting process. He stressed on drafting the new constitution for an integrated Nepal.

Leader Bhattarai said that the ethnic and indigenous organisations inside the party were not important though they were formed during the period when UCPN (Maoist) had raised such slogans in excessive way. Due to such unnecessary slogans, genuine issues of women and dalit were overshadowed, he added.

Similarly, party Publicity Department Deputy Chief Surya Thapa said that the party had not restricted the party organisations for fighting for their rights but that should not go beyond the control. RSS