Kathmandu, November 22 A meeting of Nepali Congress senior leaders today decided to hold serious talks with main opposition CPN-UML and Madhes-based parties to clear the way for implementing the new constitution by making second amendment of the constitution by forging maximum consensus. At a time when UML has said there is no need and justification to amend the constitution, the meeting of NC leaders held at the party’s parliamentary party office in Singha Durbar decided that the NC should accelerate its efforts to establish why the amendment was necessary to address the concerns of agitating forces and clear the way for holding three levels of elections. Stating that the NC had assured agitating Madhes-based forces of second amendment, the leaders opined that the NC should press for introducing the bill of constitution amendment in the Parliament even if consensus for the same could not be forged. “We’ll hold talks with CPN-UML and Madhes-based parties and try to forge consensus before tabling the bill in the Parliament,” said NC senior leader Ramchandra Paudel. All top leaders are united for amending the constitution and are planning to hold talks with UML and Madhes-based parties beginning tomorrow, said Secretary of NC’s Parliamentary Party Dhruba Wagle. NC leaders said the party should counter rumours spread by UML and others for creating an atmosphere that was not conducive for forging consensus for the constitution. “The statement that making another province in plains will put the nationality at risk is completely baseless. The NC should counter such rumours and create an atmosphere for constitution amendment,” Wagle said in the meeting. Even if consensus could not be forged before registering the amendment proposal, attempts for consensus should continue even after registering the bill, said Wagle. Leaders had opined that the party should intensify intra-party and inter-party consultations to establish that constitution amendment was necessary to bring the disgruntled community to the mainstream politics and it was imperative for clearing the way for implementing the constitution. Some leaders from Ramchandra Paudel-led camp are miffed at NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba for not holding enough talks within the party at a time when the party has to take important decisions on several issues, according to party sources. “We need to forge consensus within our party on constitution amendment, as some leaders are not for splitting Province No 5 while amending the new constitution. Leaders will continue discussions to establish the need and justification for constitution amendment and make sacrifice for broader consensus,” said a leader who attended the meeting. Leaders said Madhes-based parties supported proposed contents of constitution amendment though Federal Socialist Forum Nepal’s Chairman Upendra Yadav, who had said yesterday that the proposed contents were not sufficient. UML had flatly rejected constitution amendment proposal of the ruling parties at a meeting of the three parties held yesterday. NC leaders also discussed how to adjust local units of the party after the local bodies were restructured following the report of the Local Bodies’ Restructuring Commission that was expected after a few days.