KATHMANDU: Chairman of Nepal’s Interim Election Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi said he did not take responsibility of holding the CA elections on June 21.

After submitting a seven-point memorandum to Chairman Regmi, Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa quoted Regmi as saying, “I did not take responsibility of leading new government to hold CA polls in June. I have pledged to hold polls by mid-November,”

According to Thapa, Regmi also pledged to hold elections in a free and fair manner by escaping the influence of four major political parties.

On the occasion, the RPP-Nepal leaders submitted the seven-point memorandum asking to declare the polls date immediately and scrap four-party high-level political committee among others.

KATHMANDU: Nearly 10 months after the dissolution of the CA without promulgating the new constitution, Nepal’s major political parties finally agreed to form new election government under the leadership of Chief Justice (CJ) Khil Raj Regmi.

The parties have decided to name the new government as the Interim Election Council.

Finance Minister confirmed that major four political forces—UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and Madhesi Morcha—agreed to that end and a meeting of the cabinet to hold later this night would submit to the President to remove difficulties.

Pun also said that a high-level political steering committee would be formed to assist the election government.

Likewise, UML leader KP Oli said that CJ Regmi would be sworn in as the Prime Minister at 11:00 pm.

The major political parties have also agreed to give the Maoist’s ex fighter would be given a post of a Colonel based on qualification and two Lieutenants in the Nepal Army. The former Maoist fighters are taking training in the NA after being integrated into the 240-year-old national security force.

The parties have also agreed to hold the fresh CA election on June 21 but the CJ Regmi who is leading the Interim Election Council is given time till mid-December to hold the CA election.

KATHMANDU: Like earlier meetings, the four-party meeting held on Saturday also ended inclusively due to logjam in the highest rank given to the former Maoist fighters who are already in the Nepal Army.

Similarly, the politicians are also at odds regarding the content, especially the provision of general amnesty given to the war crimes, of the-would-be formed Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

UCPN (Maoist) leader Amik Sherchan said that the Nepali Congress leaders have expressed their reservation to the highest rank to be given to the former Maoist fighter while the UML leaders are objecting to the TRC.

During the meeting, the Maoist leaders had warned of ending the ongoing dialogue for consensus if the NC and UML leaders don’t agree to give a Colonel and two Lieutenant Colonels as the highest post to the senior most former Maoist fighter.

After the bigwigs’ meeting, UML Vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam said that the NC and UML were ready to give maximum of Lieutenant in the Nepal Army and the former guerilla themselves can be promoted upto that post once they passed the staff college course.

The major parties are expected to form the CJ-led election government soon once they settled all the issues related to the TRC and remaining task of the peace process. But, parties’ failure to strike a deal in these issues is likely to delay the fresh CA polls.

KATHMANDU: Four major political parties have decided to form the new government under the leadership of sitting Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi by March 5.

A meeting of the four major political forces—UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and Madhesi Morcha—held today at the Prime Minister’s official residence took a decision to this effect.

After the meeting, leader of Madhesi Morcha Mahantha Thakur said efforts were on to forge consensus by March 5 and form the CJ-led election government within 24 hours.

The parties are at odds regarding the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and issue of citizenship distribution in Tarai region.

However, leaders claimed that they would strike a package deal for the CJ-led government formation to end the deadlock.

KATHMANDU: At a time when the major four political parties in the country are all set to announce the Chief Justice-led government within this week, CPN-Maoist secretary Dev Gurung has warned a political catastrophe in the country if the parties opted for such government.

“Country would head for serious confrontation if the CJ was made the prime minister. The CJ-led government is not acceptable at any cost for the CPN-Maoist,” the secretary of hardliner communist party said here on Saturday at an interaction program organized by the Reporters Club.

Club’s Chairman Rishi Dhamala presided over the program.

Gurung said there was not option than to hit the street against the CJ-led government accusing the major political parties of trying to introduce the party less system.

Also speaking at the same program, UCPN (Maoist) leader Shakti Basnet said appointment of CJ in the prime minister, incumbent prime minister’s resignation and removing the legal and constitutional hindrances would be taken at same time to end the ongoing deadlock.

He also informed that the parties have agreed to form an election government by March 5. “But, some regressive forces are working to foil the party’s homework to form the CJ-led government,” Basnet said.

Basnet was of the opinion that the CJ-led election government was needed to end the protracted deadlock.

CPN (UML) leader Raghuji Panta also seconded the ideas of UCPN (Maoist) leader Basnet adding that there was no dispute in the UML over the formation of the CJ-led government.

Club’s Chairman Dhamala said political parties’ commitment was needed to end rampant corruption and begin good governance. He expressed dissatisfaction to the parties’ nonresponsive attitude to the anti-corruption campaign.

KATHMANDU: Top leaders of four major political parties have entrusted the responsibility to clear the legal and constitutional hassles regarding the formation of the CJ-led government to the taskforce.

A meeting of the top guns of the major parties—UCPN (Maoist), CPN (UML), Nepali Congress and Madhesi Morcha—held this morning took a decision to this end.

The eight-member taskforce including Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Khimlal Devkota from the UCPN (Maoist), Minendra Rijal from the NC, Bhim Rawal from the UML and others would find out the best possible ways to end legal and constitutional hindrances seen in the formation of the CJ-led government.

The major parties decision to clear the constitutional and legal hindrances after the legal practitioners and constitutional experts suggested to that end.

UCPN (Maoist) Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that no decision was taken in today’s meeting and the next meeting would held on Sunday after the taskforce completes its responsibilities.

KATHMANDU: The discussions between top leaders of major political parties and would be new Prime Minister Khilaraj Regmi ended inconclusively.

During the meeting held this evening at Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar, the top leaders of the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and Madhesi Morcha formally proposed the CJ to lead the election government. However, the Chief Justice snubbed the ‘conditional prime ministerial’ post, it is said.

But, the meeting ended inconclusively after the CJ did not accept the proposal floated by the major parties, it is learnt. The CJ, instead, is learnt to have proposed the bigwigs of the parties to cooperate with him to hold the free and fair elections and express commitment for participation of all parties in the CA polls.

After the meeting with the CJ, leaders said that they are yet to resolve some political and constitutional issues pertaining to power separation and CJ’s position as the chief of both the judiciary and executive.

Former Prime Minister and UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, some cabinet ministers and a majority of the NC central leaders have opposed the CJ-led government. They have said that the CJ should tender his resignation before he takes the charge of the Prime Minister.

However, Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has hold series of talks with the SC to this end, Prime Minister’s advisor Devendra Poudel confirmed today while speaking at an interaction program at Reporters Club.

According to Minister for Information and Communication Raj Kishor Yadav, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal and Coordinator of Madhesi Morcha Bijay Kumar Gachhadar are scheduled to meet the CJ at 6:00 this evening.

The top leaders of major political parties would held discussions with the CJ at the latter’s official residence in Baluwatar.

According to NC senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, today’s meeting also constituted a 8-member task force comprising two leaders from each political party—UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and Madhesi Morcha.

Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Khimlal Devkota from the UCPN (Maoist), Bhim Rawal and Agni Kharel from the UML, Bimalendra Nidhi and Minendra Rijal from the NC, and Hridayesh Tripathi and Jitendra Dev are in the taskforce.

KATHMANDU: Just a day after political parties agreed on formation of an election government under the leadership of sitting Chief Justice (CJ), the opposition CPN (UML) challenged such decision and said that a single person cannot head both the judiciary and executive.

Like before, the UML took such decision giving a surprise turn to the political unfolding. Analysts and political pundits often criticize the UML for always taking a dual standard in crucial issues.

The lead political parties including the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and Madhesi Morcha had agreed before President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to form an election government under the CJ to hold the CA election on May 29.

An emergency meeting of the top guns of the UML held today decided that the decision to appoint the CJ as the Prime Minister was against the principle of the separation of power.

On Monday, a section of legal practitioners close to CPN (UML) had issued a statement asking the President not to appoint the CJ as the new Prime Minister as it would jeopardize the principle of power separation.

After the meeting, UML general secretary Ishwar Pokhrel said that the party was not in favor of the CJ-led government as appointment of the CJ as the Prime Minister would drag the judiciary into controversy.