Kathmandu, January 11:

Chairman of the Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) and former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa today expressed hope that the House of Representatives (HoR) will promulgate the interim constitution on January 15 only after making necessary corrections.

Referring to “critical remarks” coming from senior leaders of the seven-party alliance (SPA)about errors in the draft of the interim constitution, including powers of the Prime Minister, Thapa said: “I hope the House will promulgate the interim statute only after making necessary corrections.”

Addressing a meeting of the Rastriya Janashakti Party here today, Thapa termed the present situation the “most difficult, but significant” phase in Nepal’s history.

“I hope the constituent assembly elections will herald a total change and bring all regional, economical and racial disparities to an end,” he said.

Former Prime Minister Thapa, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the “one-sided” attitude of the eight parties (SPA and the CPN-Maoist).

He asked the eight parties to “give up pride and prejudices while moving ahead towards the formation of a new Nepal.”

Thapa also warned that the country would witness a disaster if the eight parties ignored the spirit of the historic peace accord.

Party co-chairman Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani ridiculed the eight parties for resorting to the “syndicate” system of governance. “The eight-party syndicate had begun functioning in the name of loktantra,” he said, adding that the Prime Minister will become a “ceremonial” figure once the interim constitution is promulgated.

“The PM will become a puppet of eight parties since he cannot do anything without the consent of the eight parties.”

“Those parties, which are not members of the syndicate, are not included in the government,” he said.

“Yet another ridiculous provision in the interim constitution is that there is no provision of ousting the Prime Minister,” he said.