Nepal's new Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Friday made it clear that any amendment to the country's 2015 constitution to address the demands and grievances of Madhes-based parties will be made only after the second phase of local polls.
Addressing parliament on Friday for the first time after assuming office as Prime Minister, Deuba said it would not be possible to amend the 21-month-old constitution before the second phase of local elections slated for June 28.
Acknowledging the issues raised by the Madhes-based parties as "important indeed", he stressed on the need to broaden the ownership of the new constitution.
The PM's statement has put the Madhes-based parties in a quandary whether to join the polls process. Five dozen people were killed, dozens injured and the southern Terai region of Madhes has been taking central stage of Nepali politics ever since the Madhes-based parties launched anti-constitution protest in September of 2015.
But no headway was made despite several rounds of talks with successive governments.
Apparently, there is a split within the Madhes-based parties over joining the upcoming second phase of local polls that is largely taking place in the Terai region of Nepal.
Amendment to the constitution requires a two-thirds majority, which means that the present government cannot do it on its own in parliament. For this, Deuba will have to either take the main opposition CPN-UML on board, or take fringe and independent lawmakers by his side, which in the current scenario looks too tall an order for him to ensure.
While addressing the House, Deuba, who became Prime Minister with the support of Madhes-based parties, called upon them to participate in the second phase of local level elections on June 28, reiterating his commitment to amend the constitution after the polls.
"It is unfortunate that we can't endorse the Constitution Amendment Bill at this time as the second phase of local level polls is approaching," said Deuba, responding to questions raised by lawmakers in parliament.
Assuring the aggrieved parties of passing the Constitution Amendment Bill after the second phase elections by incorporating the spirit of Madhes, the Prime Minister urged the agitating political parties, including Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJPN), not to doubt his commitment on that and to support the government's efforts to hold the elections.
Seven Madhes-based parties have recently united under the banner of RJPN.
He noted that there was slim chance of increasing the number of local units as the Supreme Court had issued a stay order on the issue.
Madhes-based parties have been demanding increase in the number of local units as per the population ratio through a constitutional amendment. Over 50 per cent population of Nepal is living in Terai/Madhes area and Madhesis are looking for a bigger pie, as per the population ratio.
Deuba hoped that non-Madhes-centric opposition parties would also cooperate with the government in addressing the demands of Madhes-based parties.
The Prime Minister said that his government would focus on implementing the new-look constitution after holding the impending elections -- second phase local polls, and provincial and federal elections.
(Anil Giri can be reached at girianil@gmail.com)
--IANS
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