Prachanda for constitution amendment to 'rectify' President's move

Dahal (Prachanda) for constitution amendment to 'rectify' President's move
Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who returned from Hong Kong after a five-day trip Thursday, has hinted that his party is not ready to budge on its demand that the President's 'unconstitutional' move be rectified.

Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal speaks to media persons at Tribhuvan International Airport on his arrival from Hong Kong Thursday, Sept 17 09.

nepalnews.com/ANASpeaking to reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Dahal said the issue raised by his party could be addressed through an amendment in the interim constitution to define the role and authority of the President."What we have been demanding is parliamentary debate on the President's move, but we are ready to move a step ahead," he said, adding that the Maoist party was ready to call off its protest movement if the parties agreed to amend the constitution in a way that addresses the Maoist demand.

He said his party would devise new strategy as the month-long protest programmes are going to be going to be over soon.Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is expected to meet Dahal in a bid to convince him to end the obstruction in the legislation parliament. Leaders of the three parties had met Tuesday and Wednesday, but failed to reach an agreement.

Meanwhile, Dahal has claimed that he did not hold formal discussion with high-ranking Chinese officials during his stay in Hong Kong. "There were just courtesy meetings with some Chinese officials."He further said his party firmly upholds 'one China policy' and that no activities against the northern neighbour should be allowed from Nepali soil.During the trip he was accompanied by his wife Sita, party's foreign department chief Krishna Bahadur Mahara and member of the foreign department Manoj Thapa