Reports of maintaining 240 constituencies are just rumors: Mahat

KATHMANDU, July 17: Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, leader of Nepali Congress, has said that the government should expand the cabinet as soon as possible and focus on amending the constitution so as to make conducive environment for the agitating parties to participate in the polls.

“We cannot dillydally any further on giving shape to the government,” he said while speaking during an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal.

He urged the government to honestly make efforts to endorse the constitution amendment bill before the third round of local level elections. “It is important that the government create favorable environment for the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) to participate in the polls,” he added.

Mahat further said that the all the political parties including the agitating RJPN must accept whatever the result once the bill is put to vote.”The RJPN must accept the outcome. Election is an important opportunity for them.”

Mahat also claimed that the reports of maintaining the electoral constituencies to 240 were just rumors. “Nepali Congress is not in favor of increasing the constituencies.”

He also urged that the government should immediately from Constituency Delineation Commission and  divide the country into 165 constituencies for federal polls as provisioned in the 2015 constitution.

He also drew his party’s attention regarding the unexpected results in the first and second round of local level elections and urged the party leadership to start discussion about this.