Miscellaneous
‘Amendment bill will be passed’
The ruling Nepali Congress concluded on Sunday that it would play a constructive role in approving the constitution amendment bill.The ruling Nepali Congress concluded on Sunday that it would play a constructive role in approving the constitution amendment bill.
A meeting of NC leaders, called to discuss the bill with its lawmakers representing the Tarai-Madhes region, suggested endorsing the bill at any cost after holding consultations with all political parties, including the main opposition CPN-UML.
The amendment bill registered in Parliament will be endorsed at any cost, NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba said after the meeting. He added that the NC would not register any amendment motion in the proposed bill and would support some minor technical changes to it if required.
He also claimed that the UML would vote in favour of the proposed bill. “We have been in constant touch with the UML. We hope they go will eventually vote at last,” Deuba said, adding that the NC was also reconsidering the number of local bodies to ensure the local polls.
During the meeting, NC leader Farmulla Mansur said that the party should become one for endorsing the bill as it is in “favour of the entire Tarai-Madhes people”.
The NC lawmakers representing the Tarai-Madhes stressed the endorsement of constitution amendment bill at any cost.
“The party Central Working Committee and Parliamentary Party have already decided to support the amendment bill, so the party should not backtrack from its position,” said Mansur.
Deuba refuses to call NC’s CWC meet
KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has refused to call on the Central Working Committee meeting as demanded by the rival faction of the party led by Ram Chandra Poudel.
A meeting of the rival faction on Saturday decided to write to Deuba, asking him to immediately call a meeting of the party CWC and Parliamentary Party to discuss pressing national issues including local polls, party organisation and function of the government.
Poudel later handed over the letter to Deuba later on the day, calling him to convene the two key meetings immediately. “I was supposed to call both the meetings—CWC and PP.
But the way it was published in media and the manner the letter was written, I am not going to call them,” Deuba told a party meeting held on Sunday to discuss with party lawmakers on the Tarai-Madhes issue.
“Why should I call the meetings after a publicity stunt?” Deuba pointed a question at Poudel, who was absent at the meeting.
But NC leader Prakash Man Singh, representing the rival faction, urged the party president to call the meetings immediately to discuss all the pressing matters.
Some leaders expressed their dismay at Deuba’s remarks aimed at the rival faction. “His statement was unbecoming of a president of the largest party with strong democratic credentials,” said an NC leader who attended the meeting.
“All important decisions by the party, also a coalition partner in the government, should be transparent,” he added. (PR)