Kathmandu, April 28
As ruling and opposition parties seem more interested in showing their strengths in Parliament over the constitution amendment bill, the certainty of local level elections on May 14 has once again been questioned.
As the main opposition CPN-UML has decided to invest all its energy to block the passage of bill, the ruling parties, as well as constituents of the Madheshi Morcha, fear that it would result in postponement of the elections.
A leader of a ruling party tells Onlinekhabar that the parties in the government are mulling over options available to them to give a counter to UML.
“The ruling side is preparing strategies about what we can do if the UML obstructs Parliament even after seeing that there is two-thirds majority voting for the amendment,” he shares.
He says the parties are even thinking of forcefully moving the process ahead with the support of marshals.
Apparently, the parties are under an intense pressure of time to settle all disputes and move ahead with the election plan.
The Election Commission has fixed the date of Tuesday, May 2 to register nominations of candidates. The Morcha has been demanding that the amendment be endorsed before the date so that it can also file nominations for the May 14 polls.
The ruling parties are hence under the pressure to settle the issue by Sunday.
But, if the UML continues House obstruction, the ruling parties cannot go with their amendment plan, which might push the Madheshi Morcha back to the streets.
“If the UML blocks the amendment and the Madheshi Morcha resumes agitation,” a source claims, “The government will decide to hold the polls in a single phase on June 14.”
The source further explains that this is what the Madheshi Morcha wants. During a meeting with the ruling parties recently, the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal leaders have already made the proposal to postpone the polls to June.
UML Chief Whip Bhanubhakta Dhakal, however, says discussions with the government are underway and the future actions cannot be predicted now.
“We have time to file amendments to the amendment bill till Saturday evening. Some conclusion might emerge before then.”
