Kathmandu, January 9:

With the interim constitution slated to be promulgated on Monday, moves are afoot among political parties to have a bigger share from the 48 seats in the interim legislature — originally set aside for members of civil society. The decision on the issue will be taken in a day or two.

While political leaders belonging to the Seven-Party Alliance and fringe parties are downplaying the issue saying it will be sorted out in no time, the ‘stampede’ for the seats is understandable.

“The Prime Minister has been entrusted with the task of coordinating on the issue,” said Nepali Congress (D) leader Dr Minendra Rijal said, conceding that the meeting in this connection was going on among only a section of the alliance.

Dr Rijal, while addressing another programme, suggested that the issue of 48 seats be made inclusive in terms of region, language, community, and caste and finalised through discussion.

The formula being pushed by the CPN-UML has it that three big parties — NC, CPN-Maoist, CPN-UML — should be given 10 seats each, while four fringe parties like United Left Front (ULF), Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Jana Morcha and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi) be given four seats each.

While this adds up to 48 seats in all, the Rastriya Prajantantra Party (RPP) is the only party which is not being given any seat from the 48 seats.

However, the NC (D) is maintaining that bigger parties be given nine seats each, it itself be given six while the rest of the fringe parties should get four seats each.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress (NC) central working committee member Arjun Narsingh KC today conceded that no decision has yet been finalised about the 48 seats.

“I would suggest PM Koirala that this issue (of distribution of 48 seats), including other issues in the interim constitution, should be sorted out through discussion with the eight parties,” KC told an interaction at Reporters’ Club today.

UML leader Bidhya Bhandari, however, demanded that all 48 seats in the interim legislature should be given to women candidates.

“Women representing Terai, Dalits, rural areas, janajatis should be included in the interim legislature,” she added saying that her party UML would send 10 women candidates in the interim legislature. “I have taken up this issue with senior party leaders and I hope this would be heeded,” she said.

Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandidevi) leader Bharat Bimal Yadav said his party should get a “good number” of seats in the interim legislature. CP Mainali of the United Left Front (ULF) said ULF should not be barred from getting six seats in the interim legislature.