Nepal Maoist Chairman Prachanda downplays party’s plan to declare ‘constitution’ from streets

KATHMANDU - Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has clarified that his party is not going to declare what it calls the people’s Constitution from the streets on May 29 if the Constituent Assembly gets dissolved.

Speaking to reporters in Dhulikhel on Thursday, Prachanda described the media reports that the party is preparing to declare a ‘people’s Constitution’ from the streets as ‘unfounded’.

Nepalnews quoted him as, saying that the party will only publicise the draft of the Constitution it has prepared.

He said the Constitution that will become defunct after May 28 will be revived after the Constituent Assembly parties forge consensus.

He said it was important to reactivate the Constituent Assembly, which had become dormant for the past one year. Different parties should come to an agreement to do so.

The parties could not forge agreement due to the inflexibility on the part of the ruling parties.

He said that integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants has been the main issue of contention between the ruling coalition and his party.

He reiterated that his Party is not in a position to specify the number of combatants to be integrated right away as demanded by the ruling parties.

Earlier, the CPN Maoist had stated that it would promulgate a Constitution drafted by the party from the streets on May 29.

The party had decided at the meeting of its politburo to promulgate its Constitution unilaterally if a consensus is not forged before the Constituent Assembly’s (CA) term expires.

They decided not to vote for extension of the term of the Constituent Assembly if new government under Maoist-leadership is not formed.

They also decided to cancel the nationwide protests scheduled for May 25 and a cadres training scheduled for May 18. (ANI)