KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's chief political advisor Chakrapani Khanal on Saturday said the government would not announce local poll dates unless the Constitution amendment bill was finalised.

Speaking with journalists at the Reporters' Club in the Capital today, Khanal said PM Dahal had already assured leaders of the agitating Madhes-centric parties that the dates would be announced only after finalising the bill tabled at the House.

"The Prime Minister and the (United Democratic Madhesi) Front have made an agreement yesterday," Khanal said, "Now, the poll dates would be announced only after implementing that."

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"It will be better to go for the elections after making all parties united for the same," he added, "There should a national consensus for the elections. The CPN-UML also should support to make such a favourable environment."

The CPN Maoist Centre leader claimed that the government was committed to holding all local, provincial and federal polls on time.

Speaking at the same function, UML leader Raghubir Mahaseth, however, said the amendment bill would surely fail.

He was of the opinion that foreign forces had their hands in introducing the bill so as to delay the Constitution implementation.

"Who is the Constitution amendment for," he rhetorically asked, "Is it for Nepal and Nepalis or for foreign gods and power centres?"

"The Constitution amendment does not give any benefit to the Madhes region; neither does it to the whole nation."

"The Madhes exists only if there is Nepal," he asserted.

Mahaseth was of the view that the incumbent Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government was just in a bid to extend its tenure on the pretext of holding elections, but secretly working to thwart the polls.

Madhesi Front leader Mahendra Yadav and Rastriya Prajatantra Party spokesperson Rajaram Shrestha had also spoken at the function.

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