National
First statute amendment, SLMM leaders reiterate
While the government has portrayed its letter to the Election Commission asking it to start preparations for local polls as one step forward, the move has rubbed the Madhes-based parties the wrong way.Tika R Pradhan
While the government has portrayed its letter to the Election Commission asking it to start preparations for local polls as one step forward, the move has rubbed the Madhes-based parties the wrong way.
In a bid to placate the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM), Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday invited Madhesi leaders to apprise them of the need to write to the EC. He also urged the Madhesi leaders not to be suspicious about the move.
But the Madhesi leaders refused to budge from their stance, saying an amendment to the constitution is the sine qua non for holding local elections.
Without constitution amendment, it will be difficult for the Morcha to take part in elections, Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party Chairman Mahantha Thakur is learnt to have told the meeting.
Besides, the Morcha is also objecting to the report prepared by the Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC) and demanding that it should be revised. “The LLRC report is not acceptable to us,” he said. The government has formed a three-member taskforce led by Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Hitraj Panday to study the issues related to the LLRC report.
Sadbhawana Party Co-chair Laxman Lal Karna said at the meeting that the Dahal government was formed after the Maoist Centre and the Nepali Congress pledged an amendment to the constitution but they seem to have forgotten their promise.