'No NC-led govt until disputed issues of constitution resolved'

Tourism minister and UCPN (Maoist) secretary Post Bahadur Bogati

Tourism minister and UCPN (Maoist) secretary Post Bahadur Bogati Wednesday said his party was not ready to give government leadership to the Nepali Congress until the thorny issues of the new constitution were resolved.

Speaking to reporters at Bharatpur airport in Chitwan, Bogati said Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai would resign immediately if the parties arrived at a consensus on the issues of the constitution and that the NC's claim for government leadership would not make sense until then.

Accusing the NC and the UML of creating hurdle in the efforts to find consensus, the Maoist leader argued that their decision to stage street protests would not change anything.

Meanwhile, asked about the ongoing agitations of the Pokharal locals demanding immediate start of the construction works at Pokhara regional international airport minister Bogati said that the airport "cannot be built by carrying out protests". However, he claimed that the government was trying to make sure that the construction started at the earliest. nepalnews.com