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.

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress President Shusil Koirala has called on UCPN-Maoist’s supremo Puspa Kamal Dahal for participating in the much hyped national consensus government under the leadership of his party.

Party president Koirala forwarded the proposal to Prachanda during a joint meeting between senior leaders from both parties in the capital on Friday. “We discussed issues surrounding the formation of the consensus government in our leadership with UCPN Maoist leaders. The initiative is a part of the political party’s joint commitment to promulgate the new constitution in consensus within a year,”Nepali Congress General Secretary Prakash Man Singh informed. He said that the meeting remained positive.

However, “Prachanda” has said that his party will only concentrate on promulgating the Constitution. He opined that his party has not yet to be decided on the issue of participating in the government .

Prior to this NC has already held discussions with CPN UML on Thursday and is scheduled to hold such meetings with other fringe parties representing in the CA. .

According to a press release signed by ML General Secretary CP Mainali, the party will send Mainali himself, Aindra Sundar Nemwang, Shiva Chandra Chaudhary, Kalasha Mahara and Kamala BK into the CA.

THe ML selected two women in five.

The politburo meeting of the party held yesterday decided so, according to Mainali.

The party did not win any seat from the first-past-the-post (FPTP) election held on November 19.

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.

KATHMANDU: Lead political parties – Nepali Congress, CPN UML and the UCPN Maoist- have failed to corner differences on major ongoing political contentions- HLPC continuation, formation of commission to probe CA elections.

A joint meeting of senior leaders from all the three parties on Saturday failed to reach consensus on retaining or dissolving the High Level Political Mechanism (HLPC).

While UCPN Maoist and Nepali Congress stressed on its continuation with a renewed mandate, the CPN UML leaders denied to retain it. NC and UCPN Maoist stressed that the HLPC should be in function untill the new CA comes into function and paves way for the formation of a new government.

Parties remained apart on the UCPN Maoist demands to probe the CA elections through the formation of an independent commission.

While NC and UML leaders stressed on forming a parliamentary panel, after the CA is assembled, to probe the alleged poll rigging, the UCPN Maoist remained adamant on investigating the issue through a high level commission.

UML leader Raghujee Panta said that his party and NC told the meeting that the November 19 polls could not be questioned by any commission.

However the UCPN Maoist leaders warned to break away from consensus politics, if their demand for commission was not accepted by NC and CPN UML.
However, all parties agreed to own already agreed upon issues of the new constitution by the erstwhile CA.

Senior leaders of these political parties are scheduled to hold one-to-one meeting on Sunday to resolve contentions.

CHITWAN: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala has said that a coalition government would be formed based on consensus among the political parties.

At a press conference organiSed by Press Union Chitwan Chapter in Narayangadh of Chitwan on Sunday, he said there is no situation to boast for becoming largest party and securing highest number of votes.

‘There is no space for arrogance based on the poll result. Constitution will not be promulgated without consensus among the parties’, Koirala said.

UCPN-Maoist Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN-Maoist Chairperson Mohan Baidhya are responsible leaders, he said, adding that they would deliver a constitution within a year after forming a joint government based on consensus among all.

In a query, Koirala asked journalists not to put the questions whether UCPN-Maoist will come to CA saying that he did not even imagine such things to happen urging the journalists to cooperate the bid to promulgate a new constitution in the country on consensus.

Though it is the time to discuss which party to lead the government but it is still not the moment to debate on the person, he added.

The country is in a very weak condition, he said, adding that all should come together to bail the country out of crisis and move to a path of progress.

Earlier, talking to journalists in brief, NC central member Sujata Koirala said that the NC President Sushil Koirala now will be the Prime Minister of the country.

She claimed that President Koirala had substantial contribution to make NC a big party in the election so there is no alternative to Koirala.

KATHMANDU: UCPN Maoist Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai defended his party’s defeat in the Constituent Assembly elections stating it necessarily was not due to the party’s agenda.

Bhattarai blamed the party’s defeat on the ‘misinterpretation’ of his party’s agenda including federalism, republicanism, identity, and progressive restructuring of the state by other political parties during the CA election campaign as the root cause for the party’s dismal performance.
“Despite the party’s defeat, I still believe that its agendas are appreciable and capable of bringing about national economic transformation,” Bhattarai said in a press statement released on Saturday.

In the statement the Maoist idealogue maintained that his party remained steadfast in protecting the rights of the oppressed groups and disadvantaged communities throughout the nation.

His statement came at a time when his party is mulling on boycotting the CA claiming that the party has been victimized by conspiracies during the CA election and that votes counted in the election were not the original vote casted.

However, Bhattarai in the statement pledged that his party’s agenda of drafting a progressive constitution through the Constituent Assembly will be fulfilled by it.

“Our agenda, including the CA, have become national agendas. We will try to empower the people and lead the country towards prosperity by being a part of the existing system,” Bhattarai said.

KATHMANDU: The UCPN Maoist’s politburo meeting on Sunday has recommended that the party should join the Constituent Assembly and consolidate the outcomes of the great revolution and that of the erstwhile CA.

“The meeting has recommended that the party should participate in the new CA and while drafting the a progressive constitution for the nation, as promised by the party, should also investigate all conspiracies made during the CA election”, Devendra Paudel, a politburo member of the party said after the meeting.

Paudel said that the meeting has asked party Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal to prepare a report on issues surrounding the CA election and a strategy for the party’s role in the new CA and table in the party’s central committee meeting.

The decision comes at a time when some of the party leaders, including its Chairman Dahal, have denied to participate in the CA claiming that the party lost in the elections due to vote forgery and conspiracies of national and international forces.

Paudel further added that the party will investigate all the conspiracies and scams made during the CA election by being a part of the CA and fulfill its promise of drafting a progressive constitution for the nation.

KATHMANDU: The second edition of Constituent Assembly elections in Nepal remained peaceful till half day on Tuesday with the exception of few violent incidents in some places across the nation.

In Dailekh, the CPN-Maoist cadres vandalized a polling booth and snatched away polling materials in Chamunda VDC under Dailekh’s second constituency. However the polls resumed after back up materials were provided by the district election commission team.

Ballot papers were snatched after 40 voters had casted their votes. Security forces deputed at the station fired 12 rounds of air-fire to control the mob and the situation.

Elections could not kick off in Liwang of Rolpa district. Incoming reports claimed that only 12 people have taken voters ID card. Libang has been famous for being the starting point of the 12 year long Maoist insurgency.

UCPN Maoist cadres have reportedly bared supporters and voters of political parties other than theirs in Siraha’s constituency number 5. Party Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal is contending from this constituency.

Party cadres have taken control of Badamahal -6 based Jhulkiya Ni Ma Vi voting center, another voting center in the same VDC’s ward number 9 ( Pra VI voting center), and Kalabanjar Janta Ma Vi voting center in Kalyanpur. They have allowed only people whom they know of political affiliations to vote and have denied entry to voters whom do not share similiar sentiments.

In Dolakha constituency number 1, UCPN Maoist cadres have looted poll station. They even vandalized and assaulted voters and other party cadres who protested against their activities.

The Election Commission has claimed that around 12147865 voters will participate in the elections. Considering the ongoing anti-polls programs of the CPN-Maoist led dissident political parties, security forces have remained on high alert across the nation.

Political and independent representatives are contending for a total of 240 seats under Direct Election category and 335 seats under proportional election category.

Result of the elections under the Direct category is expected to be published with a week and that of the proportional category will be published within a three weeks, a press release issued by the EC said.

Election Commissioner Dolakh Bahadur Gurung said that the citizens through the nation have participated actively in casting their votes.