Kathmandu, June 16:

Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh today said the Constituent Assembly would be able to write a new constitution only if the political parties worked unitedly.

Addressing a felicitation programme organised by Nepa Rastriya Party here today, he said it was due to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s firm commitment to the peace process that the CA election was successful.

“We have always fought for democracy, rule of law and liberty but some elements are spreading rumour that we do not want to quit power. We have already called the Maoists to form a new government but the Maoists, instead of meeting the constitutional criteria, are blaming the PM for the deadlock,” he said.

Lauding Koirala’s role for taking the peace process to this stage, he said: “The question of who should be the first President of the country is a secondary one but the most pressing issue is that the Maoist should be ready to contribute on their part to the peace process and be ready to amend the constitution.”

Singh also urged the Maoists to address the seven-point conditions forwarded by the NC to win the party’s support.

Rastriya Janamukti Party chief MS Thapa Magar said the post of PM and the President should not go to only one ethnic group and region.