Nepal Speaker urges PM to forge consensus by Sunday

Nepal's Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar today urged Prime Minister Prachanda to forge consensus with the agitating opposition parties before the next Parliament session on Sunday to end the long-pending political stalemate over the Constitution amendment.
Gharti met the Prime Minister at his residence in Baluwatar to make the request in order to resume the House meetings which have been disrupted since November last year.
Prachanda, in response, expressed his commitment to end the stalemate and forge consensus with the agitating political parties, including Madhesis, local media reported.
Meanwhile, the leading political parties have begun fresh talks after the Supreme Court's order to let the Parliament endorse the second Constitution amendment bill, which aims at addressing the concerns of Madhesis - largely of Indian-origin - and other ethnic minorities. The main opposition CPN-UML has also hinted it would not obstruct the House meetings anymore.

Opposition parties, including the CPN-UML, have been obstructing the House proceedings time and again protesting the Constitution amendment bill registered by the ruling coalition.
Press Advisor to the Speaker, Babin Sharma said Gharti told the Prime Minister that she was ready to conduct the House meeting despite the obstruction if parties fail to reach an understanding.

Prachanda tried to assure the Speaker that an accord will be reached soon.
"I am working to forge a consensus on ending the deadlock in the House. I am optimistic that an accord will be reached before the parliament meeting slated for Sunday," Sharma quoted the premier as saying.

The Speaker yesterday held separate meetings with the leaders of other political parties to request the same.