A mbly chairperson Subash Chandra Nemwang asked the parties to give him the responsibility of drafting the constitution if they cannot find consensus, this created a new wave in the political circles. Though the chairperson’s proposal created additional pressure on the finding agreement on disputed issues of the constitution, political parties were unsuccessful. There was no agreement even after the disputed issues were sent back to the Constitutional-Political Dialogue and Consensus committee. There were many discussions and dialogues among the parties. Despite pressure on finding consensus from various quarters, the disputed issues of the constitution still remained.

Proposal Creates a Stir
At a time when there was no agreement among the political parties and the Constituent Assembly meetings were not effective, the Constituent Assembly chairperson Nemwang gave a 4-day deadline to seek consensus on the disputed issues of the constitution. He also asked for the responsibility to draft the constitution if there is no consensus within that time period. ‘Come to a consensus. If you cannot come to a consensus, I’ll untie the difficulty. Give me the responsibility. I am prepared to the drink hemlock in front of the nation and people in your place,’ he said while summarizing his statements in the Work Management Advisory Committee. In addition, he also submitted a written draft of the proposal to shorten the process to draft the constitution by January 22, 2015.

UML chairperson KP Sharma Oli and Congress president Sushil Koirala were positive to the proposal of the Constituent Assembly chairperson. ‘Sushil ji (prime minister) and I supported the proposal of the Constituent Assembly chairperson to move forward by forging consensus on the issues of the constitution,’1 UML chairperson KP Sharma Oli announced to the journalists about the discussions in the meeting. UCPN (M) and Madhesi leaders became suspicious of the proposal by Nemwang. However, UCPN (M) Pushpa Kamal Dahal said, ‘There is yet time, constitution should be promulgated through consensus, we will not make the chairperson drink the hemlock alone’.