The seven-party alliance (SPA) has held joint discussion with 18 others parties that have their representatives in the newly elected Constituent Assembly (CA) on key topics including the initial proceedings of the CA.

Speaking during the meeting at the Parliament Secretariat in Singha Durbar Sunday evening, most SPA leaders called for political consensus in the constitution-making process and emphasised that the first CA meeting should declare the country a republic.

Nepali Congress general secretary Bilamendra Nidhi and CPN-UML leader Jhal Nath Khanal said that their parties were committed to past agreements and were ready for a broad political consensus. Nidhi claimed that the nation would plunge into deep political crisis if the first CA meeting failed to implement republic.

Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) leader Bijaya Gachhedar said that the parties need to build consensus before the CA convenes.

Speaker of the interim parliament Subas Nemwang informed that physical arrangements for the first CA meeting, to be held at the Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC) in Baneshwor, were almost complete. He said he was confident that the republican model would be implemented from the first meeting itself.

Representatives of all 25 parties attended at the meeting. The meeting was still on till press time (8:20 pm) with representatives of some parties waiting for their turn to speak. nepalnews.com mk May 11 08