Kathmandu May 21

Responding to Madhesi leaders’ comments in the Parliament today that the government’s policies and programmes did not include the issue of constitution amendment, Nepal Communist Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said consensus had already been reached among parties on the issue.

“We have discussed the issue in different phases and we have reached consensus. It will be signed when Madhes-based parties join the government,” said Dahal to journalists after the Parliament meeting.

Sources said Oli, Dahal and Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal have reached agreement on constitution amendment.

However, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said the issue of constitution amendment was not something that was incorporated in the governments’ yearly policy and programmes. “Constitution amendment is not an annual programme. It will be amended as per necessity,” he said.

However, responding to the government’s policy and programmes  presented in the Parliament, Naya Shakti Party-Nepal Chairman Baburam Bhattrai said it would have been better had the subject of constitution amendment been incorporated in the policy and programmes.