Parties agree to expedite constitution amendment

Kathmandu November 24- After holding differing views on the composition of the government talks team for weeks, six major parties have agreed to hold parallel negotiations with the agitating Madhes-based parties in order to find common ground on disputes.

In a meeting held at Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s official residence in Baluwatar on Monday, the ruling parties and the opposition Nepali Congress agreed to move the constitution amendment bill after consultation with the agitating forces.

In response to the Madhesi protest, the previous Sushil Koirala government in its final days had registered two amendment proposals in the Parliament Secretariat. The six parties decided to hold talks with the protesting parties particularly on the issue of state delineation and reach a conclusion. The Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led high-level team will also hold talks with the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha in a couple of days

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The Dahal-led team and the largest party, NC, will separately talk to leaders from the Madhesi Morcha. A decision on constitution amendment will follow consultation with the protesting parties.

The NC stressed in the meeting that approving the two amendment bills would lead to a solution to the Tarai problem. Prime Minister Oli urged the NC leadership to convince the Madhesi leaders on the two amendments. Source: TKP