Govt holding informal talks with Baidya-led Maoists

Kathmandu: A minister of the Interim Election Council of Ministers has revealed that the incumbent government was holding dialogues with the poll-opposing CPN-Maoist through informal channels. Health Minister Bidhyadhar Mallik has said that the government was in talks with the Maoists regarding the upcoming Constituent Assembly polls slated for November 19.
Minister Mallik also expressed government confidence that the CPN-Maoist, which has been vowing to foil the CA polls, will not disrupt the polls. Talking with Rishi Dhamala, Editor-in-chief of nepalireporters.com, Mallik said, “We are in talks with them (Baidya-led Maoist) regarding the CA polls and we are confident that they are not going to create any obstacles for the polls.”
Noting that the incumbent government was formed for November 19, Minister Mallik claimed that the government will hold the CA polls at any cost. While he expressed his confidence that Baidya-led Maoist would not create obstacles during the CA polls, he said that the government will hold the polls even by mobilising all security forces. He defended the army mobilisation decision of the government saying that the move was aimed at holding the CA polls in a peaceful manner. “Election will be held. Army has been mobilised to maintain peace and security, but not to disrupt the peace,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) has made a preparation to hold talks with the political parties. The EC has scheduled to hold a meeting with the political parties at the backdrop of rampant violations of code of conduct by the parties and growing concerns about the election security.