Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday sought CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli’s help to get  constitution amendment bill endorsed in Parliament.

The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM)’s seven-day ultimatum to the government to call off local elections and amend the constitution ends on Tuesday.

According to sources, PM Dahal urged Oli to extend support to the constitution amendment, saying that the government will not postpone local elections at any cost.

Oli, however, is learnt to have reiterated the UML’s position that it “cannot support the amendment”. The UML has maintained that the constitution amendment bill introduced by the government is “against national interest” and that elections are need of the hour, not constitution amendment.

“The prime minister urged Oli to help the government in endorsing the constitution amendment bill, but Oli reiterated his earlier stance,” PM Dahal’s Press Adviser Govinda Acharya told the Post. PM Dahal is also learnt to have requested Oli to come up with some plans that could help end the deadlock and make the Madhesi Morcha participate in elections.

Oli had returned to Kathmandu on Monday from Bhairahawa where the UML’s election rally was being held.

Meanwhile, the Morcha has called its secretariat meeting on Tuesday to discuss its future plans. According to a Morcha leader, a full committee meeting on Wednesday is likely to decide on whether to continue or withdraw support to the government.

The Morcha has already formed a taskforce led by Rajendra Shrestha, Co-chair of the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal, to plan protests.

The governing alliance—CPN (Maoist Centre) and Nepali Congress—also has intensified parleys with Morcha leaders.