Deputy leader of the CPN-UML Parliamentary Party Subas Chandra Nembang accused the government of sidelining the main opposition party while making decisions regarding the implementation and amendment of the constitution.

Speaking at a meeting of the Legislature-Parliament on Friday, Nembang said the government had failed to take the opposition party into confidence in implementing the constitution and making it “acceptable to all”.

“The government did not discuss with the opposition when it was preparing bills for constitution implementation, constitution amendment or even when it decided to postpone the second phase of local level elections,” said Nembang.

Congratulating newly-elected Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, the UML leader expressed his confidence that the new government under the Nepali Congress president would bring the politics of consensus back on track. “The previous government did not take the UML into confidence to reach a consensus. I hope the newly formed government  succeeds where the predeceding one failed,” he said.

Former House speaker Nembang, responding to the government move to postpone elections in order to bring the Madhes-centric parties onboard the local polls, said: “The Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal has not confirmed its participation in the elections. And the government failed to convince it.”

He warned that the constitution could not be implemented unless the parties, which drafted the constitution remained divided. “Parties which drafted the constitution should be on the same page to resolve the outstanding issues,” said Nembang.