NC, UML request CA chair to move ahead with process

22 Jan 2015, Kathmandu - The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML on Wednesday urged Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subas Nembang to proceed with the Assembly process to clear the hurdles for the constitution writing.

At a three-hour meeting  at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar, the

ruling alliance leaders also agreed to move ahead through the process enshrined in the Interim Constitution and CA regulations to pave the way for the constitution drafting, NC Joint Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka told reporters after the meeting.

As a CA chairman, Khadka said, Nembang has to reach out to both the ruling and opposition parties to forge consensus for ending the existing political deadlock. Nembang is expected to hold talks with the opposition leaders on Thursday for the purpose and resume the stalled CA process.  

“It is now up to the CA chairman to explore the options on how to move ahead, as we have asked him to use his conscience to end the political deadlock. The CA business should be continued,” Khadka said.

The meeting also reviewed the events, including the ‘unhelpful’ role played by the Chairman of the Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee of the CA, Baburam Bhattarai. The Maoist leader failed to forge consensus on the disputed issues of constitution writing even though the CA had given several chances to the committee, according to the ruling parties. “We’ve reached the conclusion that there is no more option left, besides following the CA process,” Khadka said

The meeting also decided to put some conditions before the opposition for negotiation to convene. “They should apologise to the CA and the people for vandalism they perpetrated,” Khadka added. “They should also resume the CA process. Only then, we will start negotiation.”

Nembang’s ‘unusual’ presence

On the eve of the January 22 constitution deadline, Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subas Nembang was present at a meeting of the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML in the Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar on Wednesday evening.

Nembang’s presence in the meeting of the ruling alliance has been termed as ‘unusual’ by the experts. Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior leaders of the ruling alliance were present in the meeting.  

High-level sources say Nembang was invited to the meeting “to prepare a strategy for removing obstacles in the CA that has been put forth by the opposition bloc led by the UCPN (Maoist) for the last couple of days.”

The meeting centred on creating an environment in the CA to present proposal for the formation of Questionnaire Committee with Nembang the facilitator should the opposition continue to obstruct the house, the Baluwatar source said.