Kathmandu, January 5

Senior Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba today said the blockade at the Nepal-India border points would end the day after the Bill on the First Amendment of Constitution of Nepal is passed from Parliament.

“The Tarai problem will be resolved soon and the blockade will be cleared the next day after the parliament passes the constitution amendment bill,” he told a delegation of Reporters’ Club Nepal today.

“Formation of a separate taskforce by the United Democratic Madheshi Front is a positive move towards resolving the problem and it will further ease the talks.

We are ready to hold talks on all issues related to the 11-point demand,” Deuba said. The bill will move ahead as per the spirit of the UDMF, he added.

He also rejected rumours that he was an obstacle to resolution of the Tarai problems.

“I am ready to resolve the problem of boundaries of federal units through talks and the rumour that I am an obstacle is baseless,” Deuba said.

Meanwhile, Deuba said that he would announce candidacy for the post of the party’s president in a few days after holding consultations within the party.

The party’s upcoming 13th National General Convention will elect the leadership of the party for a new term.

Deuba objected to party President Sushil Koirala-led faction’s attempt to amend the party’s statute. “There is no justification for amending the party’s statute and the amendment cannot be made without consensus in the party,” he said, responding to a query of the delegation.

The Koirala faction is preparing to amend the party statute to increase the number of party office bearers to adjust aspirants to different positions.