UML’s Rawal says to brush aside Prez election row

KATHMANDU(Rudra Bahadur Karki). CPN UML leader Bhim Rawal has stressed on the need to focus on constitution drafting by brushing aside the issue of electing new President and Vice President.

“If Nepali Congress and CPN UML come together on outstanding issues and move forward in consensus, than the nation will move forward towards drafting a new constitution,” Rawal said stressing on the need to hold intense discussions between both parties for resolving outstanding issues while speaking at the Reporters Club Nepal on Friday.

He said that the major task of political parties is to promulgate the new constitution within time from the Constituent Assembly. He said, “We all political parties should have to concentrate on promulgating the constitution rather than deviating to other secondary task,” while alluding to the recent debate on electing President and Vice President through the first session of the CA.

Speaking at the program presided by the President of Reporters Club Nepal, Rishi Dhamala, Rawal said that his party has not been obliterating the ongoing consensus government formation process for holding the President and Vice President’s election.

He said that the upcoming government will be formed under the leadership of the Nepali Congress but stressed on the need to introduce a clear package on power sharing and other outstanding issues between both parties.

“The new government will be formed within this month,” he said adding that his party crucial role in promulgating the new constitution within a year.

Speaking at the same program Nepali Congress senior leader Arjun Narshing KC termed the demands for electing new President and Vice-President as untimely and and irrelevant demands. He said, “It is really very unjust and unfortunate that CPN UML claims that second CA can’t recognize the term of the incumbent President and Vice-President.”

He said that his party is not in favor of changing the President and Vice-President.

Referring to the ongoing discussion on power sharing in the proposed consensus government, KC said that party leaders were in discussion within and outside the party to resolve the issue and to reach a common understanding over outsanding issues. Refuting claims that his party has been delaying the government formation, KC said that intra and inter-party talks on government formation were moving in a positive direction.

He claimed that the party will finalize its Parliamentary Party leader within 15th of this month. “Nepali Congress will finalize its parliamentary party leader candidate within the deadline through consensus,” said KC adding that the party will take legal course if consensus efforts fail to materialize.

Speaking on the same occasion, RPP leader Pashupati Shamser Rana stressed on the need to form a Nepali Congress and UMl’s coalition government and expressed willingness to be part of such a government.

Rana stressed on the need to continue the terms of the incumbent President and Vice President and focus on drafting the new constitution.

Speaking at the function CPN-Maoist Leader Dev Gurung warned that his party will launch agitation if the political parties do not consider his party’s demand for a round table conference to prepare the road map for drafting the new constitution.

Gurung stressed on the need to ensure the inclusion of erstwhile CA’s achievements in the new constitution. Claiming that the new CA wont be able to promulgate the new constitution, he warned of not accepting such a constitution even if it does.