UCPN (Maoist) Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha has expressed dissatisfaction over the announcement of nationwide protest by the party-led opposition alliance ahead of the deadline for constitution promulgation. They party should instead focus on constitution writing, Shrestha told Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

On Monday, the 19-party opposition alliance had announced a nationwide protest to press the ruling parties--Nepali Congress and CPN-UML--to settle the disputed issues of constitution writing through consensus.

Shrestha told Dahal that this was not the appropriate time to protest or go on a strike. The Maoist vice-chairman suggested that despite the souring relations among the parties, there should be continuous talks to make progress on constitution writing task.

Similarly , Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subas Nembang and lawmakers of the ruling parties have urged the opposition parties to withdraw their protest programs announced on Monday.

At a meeting held at CA building, Nembang urged UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who also leads the alliance of opposition parties, to withdraw all protest programs.