Narayan Tiwari (Tokyo): Nepal’s President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav will be going further tests to diagnose his ailment, sources at the Tokyo University Teaching Hospital said on Monday.

Prior to this doctors involved in the President’s treatment were expected to come up with the diagnosis report by Monday. Though the President’s health conditions was apprised as normal, they have recommended further tests.

“Doctors have recommended further tests for diagnosing the ailment,” Nepali ambassador to Japan Dr. Madan Kumar Bhattarai said in a press release issued by the embassy on Monday.

The press release confirmed that all the tests conducted so far have been normal.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s President has denied to comment on the recent accusations leveled against him by former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai stating that the “accusation do not deserve feedback.”

His response came some days after Bhattarai accused him of making four attempts to impose a coup.

Speaking to some journalists in his ancestral home in Supahi, he claimed that he has always worked as provisioned by the constitution and even added that he has been fully receiving cooperation from Nepal Army, Police and people.

Bhattarai had claimed that the President’s efforts were to impose a coupe were thwarted due to vigilance of the government and non-cooperation from the Nepal Army.

In a different note, the President said that the political parties do not have any other alternative than to hold CA elections at the earliest.

KATHMANDU: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav has urged senior leaders of major political parties to fix a date for holding Constituent Assembly elections at the earliest.

The President urged leaders to fix a date for the CA elections, as pledged by them earlier, in June while expressing dissatisfaction for the latters’ inability to do so even after two weeks of formation of the new government.

On the occasion, President Yadav also urged party leaders to create a conducive environment for holding the CA elections by bringing all agitating political parties to mainstream politics.

KATHMANDU: As Nepal is holding its Constituent Assembly (CA) elections in the offing for the second time, Former US President Jimmy Carter has arrived in Kathmandu this afternoon to inquire about Nepal’s preparations for the same and hold discussions with the politicians and government officials.

Carter would hold discussions with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav by today itself.

Carter is scheduled to hold crucial meetings with chief of Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi, Ministers, top leaders of major political parties, government officials, and civil society representatives in support of the Carter Center’s long-term peace monitoring and reporting work while in Nepal.

Carter is scheduled to hold a press conference on April 1 before his departure to Myanmar.

KATHMANDU: The Constitutional Council (CC) on Saturday snubbed President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s call to review the name of nominees at the Election Commission (EC).

Earlier, the President had sent back the name list to the CC stating that whether the reappointment of the former election commissioners was constitutional citing article 128 of the Interim Constitution of Nepal.

Chairman of the Interim Election Council of Minister Khil Raj Regmi is the chief of the CC. The CC meeting held on Saturday stood adamant in its earlier decision to reappoint Nil Kantha Uprety as Chief Election Commissioner and Dolakh Bahadur Gurung and Dr Ayodhi Prasad Yadav as the commissioner.

The SC had recommended the name of Upreti, Gurung, Yadav, Ram Bhakta PV Thakur and Ila Sharma to the President for final appointment based on the suggestion offered by the high-level political mechanism.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s lead political party leaders from the UCPN Maoist, Nepali Congress, CPN UML and Madheshi Morcha have reached the President’s residence to hold discussions on ending political stalemate.

Senior leaders of these political parties were urged by the President to come for discussions with their alternatives for resolving status quo.

In the meeting, presently underway, discussions is scheduled to primarily centre on forming consensus government in the leadership of Chief Justice Khilaraj Regmi.

Though this proposal was rolled out by the UCPN Maoist, opposition parties- NC and UML- have expressed reservations towards it.

During internal discussions between these parties separately and jointly during day on Monday, both parties have concluded that a single person should not be given the leadership of judiciary and government.

However, both parties have remained positive towards picking any former Chief Justice for a short stint as the Prime Minister of consensus government that will have the primary mandate to hold CA elections by May 28.

KATHMANDU: UCPN Maoist Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal has clarified that his recent proposal to form consensus government in the leadership of Chief Justice Khila Raj Regmi was not taken by the party’s general convention.

Prachanda further clarified that even the Chief Justice was not consulted before floating the proposal on the outset of party’s general convention in Hetaunda recently.

He made such revelations while holding consultations with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav on Saturday evening. During the meeting which was participated by senior leaders of major political parties, he said that he had forwarded the proposal as an alternative to resolve the ongoing political crisis, informed UML leader K P Oli.

Backing his proposal of forming independent figure led government, Prachanda said forming the government in the leadership of any former Chief Justice would be relevant if political parties don’t reach understanding in forming the consensus government in a political figure’s leadership.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s largest two parties- ruling UCPN (Maoist) and Nepali Congress (NC) – failed to reach consensus over the formation of consensus government on Monday also.

With the failure to narrow down their differences on the formation of consensus government, Nepal’s political parties failed to meet the fourth deadline served by the nation’s ceremonial head of the state- President Dr Ram Baran Yadav – to form a consensus government for holding CA elections.

Until late evening on Monday, political parties and even the President were expecting consensus coming by as assured by Maoist supremo Prachanda and backed by other influential leaders. But the hopes faded away after media circulated reports of the Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s denial to step down immediately, as desired by his superior Prachanda and demanded by opposition parties including NC.

Knowledgable sources informed that the PM Baburam Bhattarai denied to step down immediately seeking respective exit. He is reported to have demanded that his own government be transformed into a consensus one and be enabled to announce a date for holding CA elections, fulfil key vacant posts in various constitutional organs and remove all constitutional hurdles for holding CA elections.

The PM remained adamant on leaving the centre stage to other parties only after setting the course for holding CA elections and fulfilling the vacant constitutional posts.

These conditions were taken as an effort to derail consensus talks by Nepal Congress and CPN UML. Both opposition parties ruled out the possibility of participating in the Bhattarai led government at any cost.

During informal talks between the top brass of these political parties, NC President and the party’s candidate for the PM’s berth, Sushil Koirala had denied to accept any of the conditions put forward by the PM and his aides.

A Maoist leader, who was well informed about the latest negotiations between the parties, informed that Sushil denied to accept any of the Maoist conditions, even though some of those conditions were agreed by his negotiator- K P Sitaula during talks with Prachanda and CPN UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal on Monday morning.

After failing to meet the fourth deadline also, parties have decided to seek another extension from the President on Tuesday.

A federation of these community, Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN, on Sunday rolled out plans to launch street protests against what it said conspiracy to undermine their demands recognised by the erstwhile constituent assembly.

NEFIN chairman Raj Kumar Lekhi has claimed that the three lead parties were reaching agreement to form consensus government by agreeing on multi-ethnic identity as basis for federalism, reducing proportional representation and seats of the new constituent assembly, promulgating the new constitution through legislature parliament and to nullify various reports prepared by various thematic committees of the erstwhile CA.

Though the press release did not elaborate any basis for such claims, it nevertheless announced the organisations plan to protest against the major parties- UCPN Maoist, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML—and the United Democratic Madhesi Front.

The federation has announced to organise a protest assembly at Ratnapark in Shantibatika on Monday morning. The threat comes a day short before the time line given by the President to lead parties to forming national consensus government ends.

KATHMANDU: Senior Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has opined that this party leadership should accept the proposal forwarded by the Maoist if the Maoists pledge commitment to their agreement.

Speaking to Reporters Club Nepal’s delegation, the former Prime Minister said ” If NC does not smells betrayal in the Maoist proposal then it should be accepted. Its not necessary to distrusting always.”

Deuba expressed such opinion while responding to queries related the recent proposal floated by the UCPN Maoist Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal.

In his proposal, Dahal has proposed to form consensus government in Koirala’s leadership after the Bhattarai led government announces a date for CA elections and clears hurdles in holding CA elections.

Deuba further said that parties should not distrust Prachanda’s recent commitment to form consensus government within the present deadline.

” If you want to forge consensus, then mutual trust is important,” said Deuba suggesting party leadership to trust the Maoists recent proposal.

On queries related to resolving contentions related to the core issues of the constitution, Deuba asserted that question of forging consensus on outstanding constitutional issues at a time when parties are vying for CA elections, is pointless.

” We should go for CA elections by accepting fundamental principles, federalism and republicanism. All parties have agreed to federalism and the erstwhile NC-led government had itself endorsed republicanism.”

Deuba further added that the people should be given their right to make their own constitution and maintained that all issues should not be finalised through inter-party discussions and claimed that such contentions should be tested at the ballot.

He ruled out the possibility of forging consensus on forms of governance as proposed by the Maoist. He suggested the the Maoist to be more responsible towards garnering consensus rather then coming up with renewed terms every day.

On the occasion, Reporters Club Nepal President Rishi Dhamala presented a memorandum to Deuba and urged him to step up efforts to form consensus government within the present deadline given by the President.