The Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN(UML) expressed surprise over the precondition that the UCPN (Maoist) has set for joining the Constituent Assembly.
“We will make every effort to accommodate the UCPN (Maoist) but at the same time we are aware of not giving them the wrong signal,” said Minendra Rijal of the NC. He said this would only embolden the Maoist to make more such demands. “The results so far clearly say what the mandate is. We cannot do anything that goes against the mandate given by the people.”
On Monday the UCPN (Maoist) said they wanted an amendment to the Interim Constitution of 2007 so as to reinstate the politics of consensus.
It also demanded an investigation to the “irregularities” in the election. Once the election results trend started surfacing, the Maoists began to distance itself from the counting process. Its allegation that ballot boxes were changed during transportation and that the counting be reviewed were rejected by the Election Commission. National and international election observers have termed the election free and fair.
The two leading parties said they would consider the Maoist proposal in practice but would not amend the Constitution.
