Some Nepali Congress leaders have voiced their dissatisfaction at, what they say as, being left out of the party’s decision making mechanism during the constitutional amendment proposal and the basic functioning of the government.

Saying that they were unaware of the party’s activities in the government, the progress on talks of tabling a constitutional amendment proposal in Parliament to appease a section of the population and the decision to hold local level polls using the existing Ilakas (areas), party leaders close to Ram Chandra Poudel have urged NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba to call a meeting of their Central Working Committee to discuss the matters.

NC leader Bal Bahadur KC claimed that he was unaware of his party’s official stance regarding the amendment proposal. “We have not had an official party meeting to discuss the demands put forth by the Madhes and Janajati parties. If the ruling coalition is moving ahead with a proposal, I am not sure whether it is a group of party leaders taking the decision or the official stance of the party,” said KC, alleging that Deuba had not initiated deliberations with their group.

KC also urged the leadership to run the party in a systematic manner. “We are hearing different takes from various leaders on the issues. That is why we need to come up with an official position after debating things within the party first.

A group led by Poudel earlier in the week also came down heavily upon the party leadership, accusing him of unilaterally taking crucial decisions. The meeting also asked the party leadership to call a meeting of the working committee to discuss pertinent issues regarding government functioning, grievances raised by Madhes and Janajati forces regarding the statute, among others.

Party general secretary Sashank Koirala, Prakash Man Singh, Ram Sharan Mahat, Mahesh Acharya, Minendra Rijal and Dilendra Badu were among those present in the meeting held in the Capital.

Another central member Ananda Dhungana clarified that they too understood the need of the hour to amend the constitution to make acceptable the constitution to a broader population. He, however, said that the party had not held any official talks regarding tabling a constitutional amendment proposal.

“We also understand the necessity of the amendment proposal, but we need to first have a meeting of our CWC to deliberate on the crucial agendas the nation and the government are facing,” said Dhungana.

A meeting of three major parties—the UCPN Maoist Centre, Nepali Congress and the CPN-UM—on Monday had agreed in principle to hold local level polls, that the government has announced for around March-April, by finalising the number of local bodies on the basis of the existing Ilakas.