Nepal’s Fringe Party Quits Constituent Assembly

By Yuba Nath Lamsal KATHMANDU, Aug 24 ( Bernama) – Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP), a fringe party of Nepal has quit the Constituent Assembly (CA), which also functions as the country's parliament, citing differences with major parties. NSP members resigned en masse on Sunday, stating that their presence in the CA had no meaning as their voices were not heard, besides serious differences over the constitution-drafting process. The NSP has five out of 601 members in the CA. The walkout does not make any significant impact on the constitutional strength of the CA at the moment. However, its decision may encourage other fringe parties to quit the CA. NSP is a regional party representing a section of the Madhesi ethnic group (people of Indian origin) in Nepal’s southern plain bordering India. NSP had been demanding for a single Madhes province in the entire southern plain. However, other parties opposed it saying the proposition was strategically and economically flawed. Nepal is currently drafting a new constitution through the democratically elected CA to complete the peace and political process initiated in 2006 after the signing of a peace agreement between the government and communist insurgents. Nepalese parties have vowed to deliver the new constitution with seven federal provinces by mid-September. -- BERNAMA