Kathmandu, November 23

Ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Centre and agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front today agreed to register the constitution amendment bill by November 28, the deadline set by the UDMF for the same.

UDMF stated that it would decide whether to support or oppose its contents only after the bill was registered. The decision comes two days after the main opposition CPN-UML rejected proposed constitution amendment and said it would not support the bill.

“We have forged consensus to register constitution amendment bill mainly on four issues – redrawing boundaries of provinces, recognition of languages, representation in the National Assembly and citizenship.

Other vexing issues will also be incorporated in the bill to ensure implementation of the constitution,” said CPN-MC leader Barshaman Pun after the meeting between the ruling parties and the UDMF held at Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s residence.

Sadbhawana Party leader Rajendra Mahato said UDMF had agreed to table the bill in the Parliament. “It, however, will decide whether to support or oppose particular contents on case basis only after seeing the contents of the bill after it is registered,” Mahato said.

CPN-MC leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that during today’s meeting PM Dahal proposed that the Federal Commission would look into dispute over boundaries of five districts – Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kailali and Kanchanpur. Dahal also proposed that five hilly districts of Province 5 can be removed to make it a plain province from Nawalparasi to Bardiya, according to Shrestha.

The five hilly districts – Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Rolpa and Pyuthan – can be adjusted in another province, most probably Province 4.

In response, UDMF leaders said they would neither oppose nor support the proposal now and would respond only after the bill is registered in the Parliament, said Sadbhawana Party’s leader Mahato.

“The government must table the bill by Saturday. It should not delay it on any pretext,” Mahato said.

Following UDMF leader’s “ambiguous” reply, CPN-MC leader Shrestha urged UDMF leaders to forge consensus before registering the bill. “We are committed to registering the bill.

However, if UDMF does not clearly state its stance before registering the bill, there will be no meaning of introducing it in the Parliament,” Shrestha said. CPN-MC will discuss it in its headquarters’ meeting on Friday, according to him.

Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal’s leaders Upendra Yadav and Ashok Rai were not present during the meeting. Party’s representative Rajendra Shrestha had told the meeting that his party would not agree to the proposed idea of redrawing the provinces.

He had said earlier that a 10-province model should be adopted to resolve the issue of federal boundaries. Nepali Congress General Secretary Shashanka Koirala said the government would register the bill in the Parliament within three-four days as agreed today.

Koirala, who represents Nawalparasi in the Parliament, said the eastern part of Nawalparasi from Daunne should be incorporated in province 4 and remaining area of the district can be linked to the proposed plain province from Nawalparasi to Bardiya.