POKHARA: Nepali Congress leader and former home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula on Friday said that the constitution could not be promulgated in the stipulated deadline if the wrangling between parties continues.

Talking to media persons in the office of Kaski chapter of Nepali Congress, Sitaula said, “There is a grim possibility of promulgating the statute on time as the parties are not serious to solve the contentious issue in the context that the government and the Unified CPN Maoist are in constant tussle.”

Stating that the agreement reached in the meeting of High Level Political Mechanism to form the State Restructuring Commission (SRC) had given rise to little hope for the timely promulgation of the constitution, Sitaula stressed the need for the early formation of the SRC for the timely execution of the new statute to materialise.

He further said that promulgation of the statute is impossible prior to the integration and rehabilitation of PLA fighters.

When asked about new recruitment of personnel by the Nepali Army, Sitaula said that it would not be against the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) to fulfill the already vacant posts of army personnel by the NA.

Stating that the misinterpretation of the CPA by the Unified CPN-Maoist complicated PLA integration, he blamed the Maoists for being involved in the dubious game of toppling the government.

Saying the qualified PLA fighters could join the NA by fulfilling the recruitment standard of the NA, the former home minister said that PLA fighters could be integrated in other security agencies as mentioned in the CPA. He also said that the United Nations Mission in Nepal could not play a fair role in the peace process.

Claiming that there is no alternative leader to replace the late GPK in the party, Sitaula said, the three senior leaders acting president Sushil Koirala, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Ram Chandra Poudel have to take the party ahead as per the consent of party cadres until the 12th convention of the party.