Nepalese PM Baburam Bhattarai said that he is ready to quit power immediately if promulgation of a constitution based on ethnic identity through the Constituent Assembly is ensured as per the spirit of the "Peoples War", Peoples Movement of 2006 and Madhesi Movement."I have no desire to stick to power by neglecting the rights and representation of the indigenous and marginalised communities", said the Prime Minister addressing a function organised to mark the International Day for Indigenous and Ethnic Communities in Kathmandu today.The Prime Minister's statement comes at a time when main opposition parties Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (UML) are exerting pressure on President Ram Baran Yadav to initiate the process of formation of a national government by forging consensus among parties by removing the caretaker Prime Minister.The parties have also been launching agitation for the past few weeks to dislodge the incumbent Prime Minister.The constituent assembly was dissolved without promulgating the new constitution mainly due to the tussle between those who favour ethnic identity
-based constitution and those who are opposing it, he pointed out.
There was no other alternative than announcing fresh election for the Constituent Assembly as the Constituent Assembly was dissolved due to the Supreme Court verdict against further extension of the CA, Bhattarai said.
The elected representative body Constituent Assembly is the only authorised organisation that can promulgate a constitution, he said.
The only way out of the current political stalemate is drafting of a constitution with rights and representation of the indigenous, ethnic and Madhesi communities based on ethnic identity, he pointed out.
He also criticised the opposition parties for making attempt to change government leadership by overshadowing the main agenda of ensuring rights and representation of the indigenous and ethnic communities through a federal structure based-constitution.
On the occasion, Nepali Congress leader Indra Bahadur Rai and CPN-UML leader Ashok Rai have suggested that promulgation of ethnic identity-based constitution by briefly reinstating the dissolved Constituent Assembly can end the current political deadlock.
The constitution based on federal structure could not be promulgated as big wigs of major political parties have betrayed the ethnic and indigenous communities of the country, they pointed out.
