Alarmed by what it describes as the CPN (Maoist Center)-led governing coalition’s sudden “U-turn” on its commitment to amend the constitution, the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhes Morcha (SLMM) have decided to do “whatever it takes” to ensure the constitution amendment before the planned local elections.

A joint meeting of Morcha’s allies on Sunday agreed to take extreme measures from withdrawing support from the government to resuming a fresh protest to foil the planned elections if the government went ahead with its polls plans ignoring their concerns.

It, however, remains unclear whether those measures would be taken immediately after announcing polls or ahead of elections whose schedule is likely to be announced this week.

Morcha’s decision comes a day after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal disclosed the government’s intention to announce the date of local elections, possibly this week, while making sustained efforts to seek enough support to pass the constitution amendment bill.

“We are adamant on our position that constitution amendment is a must for elections. Morcha will give appropriate response if polls are held ignoring its concerns,” Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato told the Post after the meeting. Mahato did not specify whether announcing polls date before elections was acceptable to Morcha—an alliance of seven agitating parties.