Pokhara, November 19

Nepali Congress General Secretary Shashank Koirala today stressed on taking the Madhes-based parties into confidence in order to hold elections at all three levels within the stipulated date and avert possible constitutional crisis.

Speaking at a symposium, Koirala said it was a mistake on the part of major political parties to draft the new constitution without taking the Madhes-based parties into confidence.

“Whatever we did in the past was a mistake and we can’t afford to repeat such mistake, hence we should bring the Madhes-based parties on board and hold the elections within the stipulated time,” he said. “We last held local election nearly one-and-half decade ago. The local bodies are without elected representatives for long. So it’s about time we conducted the polls,” said the leader, calling his party leadership to take initiatives for statute amendment to address the demands of Madhes-based parties.