NC ready to roll out red carpet for Gachhadar: Shrestha

KATHMANDU, Oct 9: Nepali Congress leader Gopalman Shrestha said that the Nepali Congress (NC) is ready to roll out red carpet for Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar if he wants exit Nepal Loktantrik Fourm and join NC.

Talking to Rishi Dhamala at a radio program Nepali Bahas on Monday, Shrestha said, “If Gachhadar wants to return to his home party, we will heartily welcome him. Red carpet awaits Gachhadar.”

Gachhadar close sources have claimed that he was preparing to join NC soon after the conclusion of local level elections. But, after leader Jitendra Dev took stand that Gachhadar should not leave the party at the current circumstances, he (Gachhadar) was compelled to put off his decision.

Gachchhadar had won elections in 1991, 1994 and 1999 representing the NC. In 2008, NC had formally expelled Gachhadar from the party, by that time he had already joined Madhesi People’s Rights Forum led by Upendra Yadav.

He also won the 2008 Constitution Assembly Election. But in 2009, he split from Upendra Yadav’s party and formed his own party Nepal Loktantrik Forum (Democratic). Gachhadar won the 2013 Constitution Assembly Election from Sunsari Constituency 3 representing Loktantrik.

Leader Shrestha, also the deputy prime minister and education minister of Nepal, also shared that various smaller parties are keen to support the broader democratic alliance.

NC is giving its all efforts to woo various parties to join hands in democratic alliance to form a pre-poll alliance so as to counterbalance the new-formed left alliance comprising the main opposition CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center) and Naya Shakti Nepal.

But NC’s attempt seems to be going nowhere since the fringe parties are bargaining for higher stake on negotiation table demanding more than 60 constituencies out of 165 under the first-past-the-post category.

“The seven-member panel will soon decide on seat distribution according to party’s mandate,” added Shrestha.