Kathmandu, March 27

More than 50 per cent members of the central working committee of Nepali Congress who spoke today at its meeting were in favour of taking the Madhesi parties on board before going to local level polls.

The United Democratic Madhesi Front has said that it would not accept local polls unless a revised constitution amendment bill is passed.

NC’s newly formed central executive committee member Farmullah Mansoor said majority of the CWC members opined that the party should try to forge consensus on constituent amendment bill, but if that didn’t happen the party should go for putting the bill to vote. Another CEC member Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said the party should try its best to make Madhesi parties accept local polls.

Almost all central working committee members from Tarai districts, including Surendra Raj Pandey and Jivan Bhahadur Shahi, said the party should make efforts to pass the bill without postponing the issue related to revision of provincial boundaries.

Nepali Congress leaders Ananda Prasad Dhungana, Bal Krishna Khand, Govinda Bhattarai and Dhanraj Gurung, however, told the meeting that the party should play a balanced role so as to win confidence of the CPN-UML and the UDMF.

Dhungana said the party should play a leading role to help forge consensus between the CPN-UML and the UDMF.