Venting their ire at the main opposition CPN-UML for blocking the constitution amendment proposal registered by the government, senior Nepali Congress leaders have urged the party to help resolve the political crisis.

They also called on the second largest party to shun the politics of “division between the ethnic groups mostly those native to the plains and the Hills”.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the first assembly of the NC District Treasurers in the Capital on Friday, coinciding with the late Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai’s 93rd birth anniversary, party President Sher Bahadur Deuba said creating conflict between the people of the Mountains, Hills and the plains would ultimately create a major divide in the country.

“I don’t know why the UML is doing so,” said Deuba. “If we amend the constitution, if the Madhes gets justice and peace prevails there, why should we not adopt it [amendment]?”

Accusing the UML of standing against the proposal for redrawing the provincial boundaries, Deuba lashed out: “How long will they obstruct Parliament? Don’t they have any responsibility? The Parliament must function to give the country an outlet.”

NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel blamed the increasing distrust among the parties on pressing national issues for the current deadlock. “It will be fatal for the country if we distrust the people of the Tarai on provincial demarcation,” Poudel cautioned.

General Secretary Shashank Koirala said the parties should honour the sentiments of the people of Province 5 while altering its delineation.