MORANG: Naya Shakri Nepal (NSN) Coordinator and former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has said election was possible only after restructuring of the local bodies.

Addressing a gathering organised by a local committee of his newly announced party in Urlabari of Morang this morning, leader Bhattarai noted that the local, provincial and parliamentary elections should be held within the next 18 months to meet the constitutional requirement, but only after restructuring of the local bodies.

Furthermore, the elections cannot be held without addressing demands of agitating indigenous nationalities and Madhes-centric political parties, he said.

Bhattari also stressed the need to amend the Constitution to address their demands. He went on saying that the problem would not be resolved with only a change in the government.

Earlier, at a press conference organised by his party in Damak of neighbouring Jhapa district, the former Maoist leader said the political transition would not end till the culture of altering government continued. "The change of guard only will not offer solution to the plethora of problems facing the country".

He, however, underlined the need to change the existing forms of governance and electoral system through a constitutional amendment and asked the major parties to move ahead together towards resolving the problems which the Constitution promulgated last year has not addressed.