Kathmandu, March 13

CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli today met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and told him that he would not support the Constitution amendment bill.

Oli, who was to attend the party’s Mechi-Mahakali National Campaign in western Tarai district of Kapilvastu, air-dashed to Kathmandu to meet the prime minister after getting an invitation for talks from him.

Press Adviser to the PM Govinda Acharya told THT that the PM urged Oli to support the constitution amendment bill so that it would be easy for the government to hold local polls. “Oli told the PM that he was ready to help the government hold local polls but he would not support the constitution amendment bill,” Acharya said.  Oli reiterated his party’s stance on the constitution amendment bill, Acharya added. The UML has been saying that the government should withdraw the bill.

Oli’s personal aide Pramod Dahal told THT that Oli told the PM he should not postpone or defer the local polls on any pretext. Oli told the PM that the UML, as an opposition party was ready to help the government hold local polls.

The PM held discussions with Oli on other contemporary issues but there was no agreement on any issue. The meeting lasted for 45 minutes.

The UDMF had given a week’s ultimatum to the government to pass the constitution amendment bill and cancel the government’s decision to hold local polls on May 14, failing which it would withdraw support to the government.

The UDMF had extended outside support to the government in August after a three-point agreement was signed between the CPN-MC, the Nepali Congress and the Federal Alliance. The UDMF’s ultimatum ends tomorrow.