KATHMANDU: Parliamentary Party (PP) meeting of the ruling CPN-UML on Friday formed an 18-member panel led by Bharat Mohan Adhikari,standing committee member, to present the party’s views on the major issues in new constitution in the Constituent Assembly.

The party’s 49 CA member had demanded the leadership to discuss pertinent issues, including representation of the party’s ministers in the coalition government and business of the Constituent Assembly, in the parliamentary party meeting.

Yamlal Kandel, a UML CA member, told this daily that almost all the UML lawmakers stressed the need for consultation with the PP body before the party takes decision on any pertinent issues.They criticised the party leadership for giving priorities to the defeated leaders in the Cabinet and forming a jumbo Cabinet.

Kandel informed that most of the CA members in the meeting said the President’s move to reinstate the army chief Rukmangud Katawal in his post was “unconstitutional”. Kandel

reported as the PP members opined, “The presidential post is ceremonial, therefore, cannot take any political decision.” The UML CA members expressed their dissatisfaction over the parties’ role of appealing the President to play an executive role.

But, PM Madhav Kumar Nepal is believed to have defended the President’s move while addressing the PP meet on Wednesday.

Addressing the PP meet, party president Jhala

Nath Khanal said that his party was slipping towards the rightist agenda. He was hinting towards his rival KP Oli who is a die-hard critic of the Unified CPN-Maoists.

Khanal said the maoists combatants would be integrated into the national security forces depending upon their individual qualification.”The total integration proposed by maoists and total negation proposed by some political parties are both against the Comprehensive Peace Accord,” Khanal said.

He stressed the need for the longevity of the Nepal-led government to ensure that new constitution would be adopted on time.