Siraha, June 17

Minister for Information and Communications Raj Kishor Yadav Sunday said that the new constitution was not promulgated on May 27 due to the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.

Inaugurating an interaction programme organised by Nepal Madhesi Civil Servants Forum at Choharwa Bazaar in Siraha, Minister Yadav said that the Constituent Assembly was dissolved due to the bargaining of the Nepali Congress and the UML for power at the last moment on May 27.

He said, "The CA was dissolved because the Congress and the UML did not want to accept federalism."

Accusing both of the parties of advocating for status-quo, Yadav stated that their old concepts would lead the politics to nowhere.

He said that the Congress and the UML were not concentrated in drafting the new constitution but only in disarming the combatants of the UCPN-Maoist.

He also lauded the seriousness shown by the Maoists about peace and constitution.

He also appreciated the ruling Madhesi parties for sticking to their stance for the constitution with federalism and federalism with identity.

Minister Yadav said, "If the United Democratic Madhesi Front had not united on the issue of identity based federalism, the Congress and UML might have succeeded to promulgate the constitution without federalism on May 27."

Stating that the new constitution would be promulgated only through the CA, he expressed his confidence that the Madhesi people would succeed to obtain the identity based federalism in the constitution.

He also reiterated that there was no alternative to the new CA elections scheduled for November 22.

He also claimed that the parties would reach a political consensus within two months.

He expressed his hope that the Madhesi and Janajati communities, among others, would join hands to defeat the anti-federalist forces in the next CA election.