Maoist leader says party to remain in opposition

Reporters Nepal

Publish date : 18 December, 2013

Political party leaders at the Reporters Club Nepal on Wednesday.

KATHMANDU: UCPN-Maoist leader Top Bahadur Rayamajhi has said that his party will not join the government. “We have not given enough thought about joining the government so far. We will stay as an opposition,” he said while speaking an interaction organised at the Reporters’ Club in the Capital on Wednesday.

However he said that his party will continue workin along the ‘consensus principles’ while remaining in the opposition, while speaking at the program presided by the Club’s president Rishi Dhamala.

Saying that the parties are inching closer to consensus in the issues raised by his party regarding formation of probe committee to look into the alleged vote rigging and delivering the constitution as per the consensus, he asserted that his party would submit the final list of winning candidates under the PR electoral system only after the consensus.

Also speaking at the programme, Nepali Congress (NC) leader Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat expressed his belief that all the parties would submit the final list the winning candidates under the PR electoral system within December 25.

Mahat said that the NC is committed to the formation of new government and drafting a new constitution as per the consensus.

The NC leader stressed that the interim constitution would not be amended as demanded by the UCPN-M. He added that UCPN-M did not have any alternative other than joining the Constituent Assembly (CA).

CPN-UML leader Pradeep Gyawali, similarly, said that his party is for the formation of a new government incorporating other parties on board. He added that all the issues concerning power division, general policy and programme and government operation should be resolved in a package.

Claiming that it was undemocratic to choose the President and Vice-President after drafting the new constitution, Gyawali warned that the democracy would be in jeopardy if it happened.

Rastariya Prajatantra Party leader Pashupati Shumsher Rana, meanwhile, suggested that the government should incorporate most of the parties.