RISHI DHAMALA (NEW DELHI): United Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist (UCPN -Maoist) supremo Puspa Kamal Dahal has said that the nation’s political parties and the incumbent government were prepared to hold Constituent Assembly elections in November.
Dahal expressed such commitment with Rajnath Singh, President of India’s main opposition party- Bharatiya Janata Party, here on Saturday evening during a meeting attended by senior leaders from both sides.

Dahal who had reached earlier today had held consultations with Singh soon after landing here. Talking briefly to journalists after the meeting, Dahal said that as part of the 12 point Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and as a long standing neighbor his visit is aimed at garnering India’s support for Nepal’s upcoming CA elections.

Elaborating on the issues discussed during the meeting, he said that he informed the BJP leaders about the recent decisions taken by his party’s general convention and its commitment to preserver and foster democracy in Nepal.

Prachanda was accompanied by his party’s former Foreign Affairs Department Chief Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Singh was accompanied by his party’s Foreign Affairs Department Chief Mr. Bijay Jolly and senior leader Dr Sudanshu Trivedi among others.

In an exclusive comment provided to the Nepalireporter, Mr Joli informed that issues of common concerns which included stabilizing peace and bringing armed groups to talk in Nepal, were discussed dominantly.

Quoting Singh, he said that BJP was firmly committed to extend its cooperation to Nepal’s government and people in holding CA elections and preserving democracy. In response to their concern over the measures taken by Nepal’s political parties for ending the ongoing political transition, Prachanda had briefed Singh and his colleagues about the course Nepal was heading on.

While recollecting how Singh and his party members were able to establish contact with the Maoists during the peace of insurgency in Nepal and how they had subsequently facilitated talks between Nepal’s parliamentarian parties and the Maoists that ended with the signing of 12 point CPA, Joli said that meeting also concluded that both parties will extend cooperation in the days ahead to curb anti-Indian sentiments in Nepali soil.

The meeting also brought growing numbers of misleading conversions of Hindu to Christainity in some remote parts of Nepal to Prachanda’s attention, Joli added. Leaders from both parties agreed that ideological differences between their parties should not be hindering cooperation on issues of national and regional importance in the days ahead.

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Editors Note: This version corrects name of UCPN Maoist former Foreign Affairs Department Chief’s name to Krishna Bahadur Mahara from otherwise.

One of the leading figure involved in writing the Interim constitution, senior advocate Harihar Dahal said that the Chief Justice should be expressing his opinion on the UCPN Maoist proposal.

Speaking at an interaction program organised by Reporters Club Nepal on Saturday, Dahal said that CJ’s silence on the issue indicates that he might also be interested in the UCPN Maoist proposal.

He asserted that the CJ should clarify his position on the issue immediately, ” Has the Chief Justice discussed this issue with Prachanda? What are his intentions? These issues should be cleared out immediately otherwise it will push the nation into further crisis.”

” Interim constitution’s sub clause 1 of clause 106 restricts any incumbent Chief Justice, Justice from being appointed to any areas other then judicial and inquiries. And the sub clause 2 of the same also restricts the appointment of former chief justice to any other posts except Human Rights Commission,” Dahal said claiming that CJ cannot be made PM even by amending the Interim Constitution.

He opined that the unamendable provisions of the constitution should not amended claiming that increasing political interests in justices will jeopardise the state machinery.

Dahal opined that the ongoing stalemate is purely political and asserted that political parties should resolve it instead of resorting to independent candidates.
Another speaker at the program, senior advocate Biswakanth Mainali said warned that enmeshing state’s judiciary into politics will be unfortunate and seconded Dahal’s opinion that the existing provisions of the Interim Constitution restrict the appointment of CJ or any justice as Prime Minister.

Mainali said that the political parties are restricted by sub clause 1 of clause 38 to form government other then a consensus one and claimed that the proposal to form CJ led government lacked constitutional backing.

Similarly, senior advocate Bal Krishna Neupane warned that appointing CJ as Prime Minister would point to the failure of multiparty democracy and a breach of the interim constitution.

He even slammed the CJ and stated that the a person who has failed to appoint justice despite leading the Judicial Council cannot run the nation. Neupane accused the Maoist of using the CJ to further jeopardise the state apparatus.