If the dissents expressed by various political forces are any indication, they show that a time bomb is ticking and the new explosion will destroy the present government and constitution.

At a time when there is the need of peace and unity among the political forces to implement the constitution, the divisions and disputes among the parties are growing, with the gaps widening.

The rift between the Madheshis and three major political parties is natural and understandable with some implications. However, the widening rift between main opposition Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, which leads the government, will derail the current political process.

Whether the hearing committee members will be 15 or 71, the ruling alliance and main opposition party Nepali Congress have made their prestige issue and the parties are deciding the fate of Legislature Parliament Rule on the basis of voting.

Main opposition Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leader K.P. Sharma Oli government failed to come up with any compromise position on the number of members in the hearing committee.

After the formulation of the regulations, the differences between the two forces- which have already reached the widest level since the failed effort to dislodge the government- are likely widen further.

With Nepali Congress pushed to the corner, the new coalition led by two communists and three rightists will have more troubles ahead.

“This government has failed to address the issues of Madheshis and Madhesh and accelerate the reconstruction work. This government is even intolerant to the main opposition party,” thundered Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba. “There is the need to address the issues raised by Madheshis to implement the constitution.”

As the CPN-UML is wooing two rightist parties, RPP and RPP-Nepal, with 37 members crucial for the survival of the government, a group of politicians in both the parties have launched unity efforts pressing its members to quit the government.

Led by RPP-Nepal leader Keshar Bahadur Bista and RPP leader Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, all leaders of the erstwhile Panchayat held a meeting at the heart of capital on the day when the Madheshis and Janajatis launched a sit-in at Singhadurbar gate.

In the presence of more than one thousand party cadres, RPP leaders asked all to come out to the streets to tear the present constitution which is against their own beliefs and values. This is an open challenge to deputy prime minister and RPP-Nepal leader Kamal Thapa, who is defending the present constitution as the best constitution of the world.

“I am proud to identify myself as a pancha whose commitments towards constitutional monarchy, Hindu kingdom and unitary system with devolution of power are unchallenged,” said Keshar Bahadur Bista. “How can we stay in the government formed under a federal, republican and secular constitution? We need to openly tear this constitution.”

Not only Bista, former minister and leader of RPP Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, who voted for a Republic in the first Constituent Assembly, stresses the need to declare Nepal as a Hindu State.

With the gathering of former panchas calling for unity, the pressure will grow on RPP-Nepal leader and deputy prime minister Kamal Thapa and RPP leaders to back the government.

Whether it is just a coincidence or not, five Maoist Parties-which hold many reservations over the new constitution have decided to unite next week- and this is not in favor of the implementation of new constitution.

As the joint agitation of the Madheshis and Janajatis, going on as a Kathmandu-centric agitation to scrap the new constitution, is in its initial stage, the whole political process is heading towards a collision course.    

Former general secretary and one of the main proponents of the new constitution Krishna Prasad Sitaula has already announced publicly that the constitution will be defunct unless it is amended as per the demands of Madheshis.

Given the present political trend, the overheated political crisis will explode to come to size again opening another phase of prolonged political instability in the country.