Central leaders of ruling parties have said constitution by January 22 is not possible. Speaking at an interaction at the Reporters' Club in the Capital on Thursday, CPN-UML Vice-Chairman Bhim Rawal and Nepali Congress (NC) leader Prakash Sharan Mahat said promulgation of the new statute is impossible by the January 22 deadline self-imposed by the Constituent Assembly (CA).

Rawal said even if the CA begins voting process to endorse the constitution, it can not meet the January 22 deadline now.

But, the constitution writing body does not have any alternative than beginning the majority process, Rawal added.

The UML leader also asked opposition parties not to obstruct the constitution drafting process. If they find that statute does not include their agendas, they can amend it with two-third majority, he said.

Meanwhile, Rawal added that UML will talk with its coalition partner NC about whether to change the government after January 22.

He, however, maintained that turning the incumbent government into a national consensual one will be better than forming a new government.

Speaking at the same function, NC leader Mahat said constitution writing process has been lingered as major parties failed to find consensus, not on contents of the constitution, but on power sharing issues.

The opposition parties launched protest programmes also to boost their bargaining power in political transactions, Mahat claimed.