NC fears threat to democracy and constitution implementation from leftist unity

KATHMANDU, Oct 6: A meeting of the Nepali Congress central committee today discussed the issues of candidate nomination process and its criteria for the forthcoming elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies slated for late this year.

The first round of the meeting agreed in general not to give tickets to candidates who contested in the local level elections, the rebel candidates, those not supporting the party’s official candidates and (previous) lawmakers under the proportional representation category.

The meeting chaired by Prime Minister and party president Sher Bahadur Deuba took place at the PM’s official residence, Baluwatar. Most of central committee members putting their views in the meeting insisted on the need of finalising candidates for the both approaching elections.

Expressing their concerns that the lately emerged leftist unity could weaken the federal democratic republic and the constitution implementation, they underlined the need of genuine unity among democratic forces in the days ahead.

Talking to media following the meeting, party central members Dilendra Badu said the meeting suggested the party leadership for the need of finalising the matter of nomination of candidates by October 11.

Today’s meeting, raising doubts whether the fresh leftist unity and increasing political polarisation would prevent elections from taking place on the scheduled dates, realised the need of timely elections and of the formation of a broader alliance among the democratic forces.

After the meeting, central member Arjun Narsingh KC, terming the leftist unity against the democratic norms, values and ideologies, claimed that such unity was just for reaching to power.

“The NC will not be swayed away and discouraged by the leftist unity. Instead a broader unity and collaboration among political parties except the leftist will be there under the NC leadership in the upcoming elections,” he added.

Likewise, in view of another central member Mahesh Acharya, the leftist unity has further made the remaining works of peace process and constitution implementation process more complicated, promoting the ‘extremist’ mentality. “The NC wants to see the timely elections and move ahead by ensuring stronger national unity by incorporating sentiments of all.”

Similarly, another central member Nabindra Raj Joshi claimed the leftist unity was capable of eliminating democracy and the responsibility of safeguarding it fell upon on the shoulders of NC.

Consensus, collaboration and unity at the political sphere was highly realised to implement the constitution and the NC was sensitive towards that end, he added.

NC President and PM Deuba briefed the meeting about the latest political developments in the country. Senior leader Ramchandra Poudel, General Secretary Dr Shashank Koirala and treasurer Sita Devi Yadav were present in the meeting.

The next session of the meeting will take place in the evening today itself. RSS