Parties fail to make headway against amendment stalemate

KATHMANDU: Three major political parties have failed to make any headway to end the ongoing political stalemate at the Parliament after the government registered the Constitution amendment bill.

In a meeting called by Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar, the leaders of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN Maoist Centre presented themselves adamant on their stances over the bill.

Gharti had called the top three leaders of the major political parties in her office to urge them to forge a consensus and continue parliamentary sessions.

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But, the meeting could not yield any fruit as both the ruling and the opposition sides did not show any flexibility for the consensus.

Emerging after the meeting, UML Vice-Chairman Bamdev Gautam said his party did not agree with the ruling parties' proposal to settle the dispute related to the Constitution amendment bill at the House itself claiming the bill was against national integrity.

"There cannot be any agreement with the use of force," he said.

Gautam, however, clarified that his party was ready to support the government in endorsing election-related bills.

"But, if you want to endorse the election bills together with the amendment bill," he told reporters, "We cannot support that."

Maoist leader and Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, on the other hand, told reporters that the ruling parties had asked the main opposition to led the House discuss the bill, which the latter refused.

"Let us see whether it gets endorsed or not at the House," he said, quoting the ruling alliance leaders, "It is what we can do."

Likewise, Nepali Congress Vice-President Ram Chandra Paudel also said the parties discussed finding solutions in a package; but failed.

Meanwhile, the Parliament meeting failed to enter into its regular business today as well after the leaders failed to forge consensus. The meeting has been adjourned for Thursday.

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