Chief Minister of State No. 5 Shankar Pokharel said the name of the state and its capital would be determined on consensus and added that the Chief Minister has no personal opinion on this issue.

Addressing the first meeting of the Press Organization Nepal, Province No. 5 Committee in Butwal on Saturday, the Chief Minister stated that a common aspiration is needed to fix the capital of the state arguing that the psychology of Lumbini, Rapti and Bheri should be subverted.

Saying that the name and capital city of the state would be decided based on the mandate of the state assembly members and people’s opinions, Pokharel said that the issue would be settled by following the process if that could not happen.

On the occasion, CPN leader Rajendra Gautam, PM’s press advisor Surya Thapa, Organization’s coordinator Maheshwor Dahal and others expressed their opinions.

The meeting also issued Butwal Declaration calling for capacity building of the media persons and to establish a state-level mass communication academy for its study and research works.