Nepali PM to address nation 2nd time after 8-party meeting

NC backs calls for amending constitution;

The central committee meeting of Nepali Congress (NC) held on Monday evening in Baluwatar concluded by backing the calls for amending the interim constitution to address Terai demands.

After the meeting, NC central committee member Laxman Prasad Ghimire told media that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala will address the nation after discussing with eight party leaders possibly on Tuesday.

"The PM has already said that the country will go for federal system. Likewise, demands for proportional representation and population-based reconstitution of constituencies have also been accepted, in principle," Ghimire told reporters.

He said that NC's position will be discussed along with other parties' positions on these issues in the eight party meeting to be held "at the soonest" after which the PM will be addressing the nation.

Earlier, it was widely reported that the PM could address the nation on Monday itself. However, he did not address on Monday. Although, the PM was in favor of amendment in the draft interim constitution it was promulgated without any change. But still it is not late to amend it.

In my article I wrote about the need of the amendment of the draft before promulgation as it was widely criticized by Terai, the PM and Supreme Court.

http://bhupall.blogspot.com/2007/01/prime-minister-and-supreme-court.html/

During the meeting of top leaders of four parties on Monday morning, too, other leaders had urged PM Koirala to address the nation. The UML also held meeting of its standing committee on Monday to set the agenda for emergency meeting of its central committee, which will begin from Tuesday. The UML has called the meeting of central committee to discuss the evolving situation, particularly in Terai.