BIRATNAGAR: Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala today urged neighbouring countries to assist Nepal in drafting the new constitution.

Speaking to party cadres here, Koirala said the countries should positively support the constitution-writing process.

“A country in trouble affects its neighbours also. Therefore, China and India should help in Nepal’s constitution-making process,” he said. Stating that the statute would be drafted on time, Koirala said, “The new constitution will herald an era of lasting peace and speedy development in the country.” He expressed hope that the Unifed CPN-Maoist will join the government. Ruling out federalism on the basis of ethnicity, the octogenarian leader said, “The gap between the haves and the have-nots will further widen if federal states are carved out on the basis of ethnicity.”

Koirala, who arrived here yesterday, met party cadres on Thursday. According to a party source, he will talk to media prior to his returning to the capital tomorrow. It is learnt that Koirala arrived here to settle internal disputes in the party.

The NC president has been criticised for sending party’s team of ministers to the government under the leadership of his daughter Sujata. Koirala’s move has infuriated even his close aides like acting president Sushil Koirala, parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Paudel and Dr Shekhar Koirala.

According to the NC’s Morang chapter, the issue was not discussed today due to Koirala’s ill health. He is expected to tell the cadres the reason behind letting Sujata lead the party in the government. It is learnt that he justified the move stating that other NC figures in the cabinet were not high profile.