Integration before statute: Deuba

NARAYANGADH: Senior Nepali Congress leader and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said on Thursday that the new constitution cannot be promulgated without settling the issue of integration of Maoist's PLA fighters.

In brief talks with journalists at Bharatpur airport in Chitwan, Deuba said the country is facing several problems due to the UCPN-Maoist. He added that the Maoists should honestly implement the agreements signed in the past following politics of consensus.

In another context, the former prime minister was of the view that the High-Level Political Mechanism should work on the basis of consensus.

Referring to the incident at Congress headquarters on Wednesday, he said internal disputes need to be resolved through mutual collaboration.