The second largest party CPN-UML's Chairman KP Oli said the disputed issues should be resolved through voting process in the Constituent Assembly to ensure promulgation of new constitution by January 22 if the parties failed to forge consensus.

According to him, his party would make attempts to forge consensus on the issues related to constitution but in case they did not materialise then they should be decided through voting.

Oli was speaking at a press conference organised at the central office of his party this afternoon.

Through its Central Committee meeting, which concluded yesterday, the CPN-UML reiterated that the new constitution should be promulgated by January 22 as per the schedule approved by the Constitution Assembly and the commitment that the parties made to the people. The CC endorsed a special proposal to renew the stance.

The party further urged all parties in the CA to stick to their commitment, and work to make the ongoing negotiations productive and advance the constitution-drafting process through democratic means and as per the provisions of Interim Constitution as well as Constituent Assembly Regulations if any party or a lawmaker has disagreement over a particular issue.

The party acknowledged the people's concerns regarding the delay in the constitution-drafting and the division among the parties, and expressed its readiness to remain active to forge consensus till the last hour.

In the special proposal, made public today, the party expressed commitment to the democratic republic, federalism, and secularism.

Clearing stating that the party would not acknowledge any form of ethnic and regional parochialism, the CPN-UML stressed on the proper measures to strengthen national integrity and unity; maintain harmony among followers of different religions, ethnic groups and speakers of different languages; and provision of equal opportunity and rights to all people while transforming the country into the federal set-up.

"Sticking to these basic principles, the party will exhibit maximum flexibility to forge consensus on the disputed issues of the new constitution," the proposal said.

The party had organised a press conference at its central office in Balku this afternoon to make public the decision that the Central Committee made reports The Himalayan Times.