Kathmandu, September 14 :

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today held talks with NC leaders and legal experts on the issue of an interim constitution, and the military and citizenship certificate bills which have been tabled in the House of Representatives for discussion.

An NC source told this daily that the PM stressed the need to finalise the interim constitution keeping in mind its future ramifications, especially an election to a constituent assembly. “Let us finalise the interim constitution focussing on the constituent assembly elections,” the source quoted the PM as telling the NC leaders.

The source said differences about the interim constitution would be settled once the NC leaders came up with their stance on an interim constitution, the military bill and the citizenship certificate bill which has drawn flak from the Madhesi community.

The meeting comes at a time when alliance partners have been criticising Koirala on the grounds that his government has failed in fostering a caolition culture. It was attended by NC general secretary Ram Chandra Poudel, Arjun Narsingh KC, Amod Prasad Upadhyaya, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Ram Krishna Tamrakar, Dr Ram Baran Yadav and legal experts.