Uncertainty over Nepal's constitution drafting process

The drafting of Nepal's Constitution has become uncertain as rifts between political parties have escalated, officials said Tuesday.

Party leaders said there is lack of trust among them, Xinhua reported.

The chances of promulgation of a new constitution by Jan 22 now appear slim now. This development will contribute to further crisis in the country.

The chairman of Nepal's Constituent Assembly (CA) has made public that there is not any possibility of promulgating the new Constitution if the political parties fail to sort out the contentious issues by mid-November.

Chairman of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoist (UCPNM) Pushpa Kamal Dahal is on a visit to the mid-western districts and will remain there for a week. Consequently, it means that there will not be any agreement among the parties during this period.

Addressing a group of cadres in the Rolpa district Tuesday, Dahal threatened to call an indefinite strike if the ruling parties did not agree on an identity-based federal structure.

Last November, Nepal held its second Constituent Assembly election with the promise of promulgating a new constitution within a year.