Kathmandu- Constituent Assembly (CA) Chair Subhas Nembang in a meeting with lawmakers on Wednesday said the top leaders of major political parties are not willing to reach consensus.
"It is not that they are incapable but they do not have the will to forge consensus," said Nembang addressing a group of lawmakers pressing for identity-based federalism in his office at Singha Durbar.
"Journalists often ask me what I can do if the top leaders fail to forge consensus," added Nembang. "I don't think they are failing; it is just that they are not doing because of lack of will. Let us create positive pressure for them to reach consensus now."
Last week, Nembang had urged political parties to allow him to prepare the first draft of constitution if they failed to reach consensus by 5 January. His proposal drew heavy criticism from the UCPN (Maoist) and the NC.
"I did not want to strip political parties of their rights to write constitution," said Nembang. "I just wanted to create pressure on them."
Nembang also assured lawmakers whose fringe parties are members of a 30-party alliance led by the UCPN (Maoist) that the CA would not backtrack from what it has already endorsed in the past.
"The previous CA had endorsed identity-based federalism, republicanism, secularism and inclusion," said Nembang. "The current CA will not abandon any of these issues. It is my commitment to ensure that the present CA will carry forward all these issues."
Nembang expressed his commitment after lawmakers belonging to fringe parties complained that the ruling parties NC and UML have been accusing them of being secessionist forces