POKHARA: Health Minister Khagaraj Adhikari dismissed the allegation that CPN-UML had prioritised power over statute. Speaking at a programme here on Wednesday, Adhikari stressed the need to promulgate the statute at the earliest.

“Statute drafting is in its final leg. It will be completed once the row over state demarcation is settled,” he said. He suggested that the delineation issue should not be put on hold as it was likely to spark a dispute in future.

He also warned that the country might never get its constitution if the current opportunity was wasted. “As the major parties are committed to promulgating the statute at all cost this time, let the others keep whistling, but the constitution should and will be drafted,” argued the UML leader.