KATHMANDU, Oct 5: Responding to the move of main opposition party CPN-UML to forge a leftist alliance for the upcoming provincial and federal elections, the ruling Nepali Congress has also initiated a process to forge an electoral alliance with ‘democratic forces’.
Six various parties have agreed to join the NC-led alliance.

A meeting of six various  parties held at the prime minister’s official residence at Baluwatar  Wednesday evening decided to form a seven-member task force to work out  the electoral alliance for  upcoming polls. 

Top leaders of the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal, Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic), Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Nepal Loktantrik Party were present at the meeting called by the NC. 

Although the Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Workers Peasants  Party have openly criticized the UML-led alliance, these two parties were not present at the NC-hosted meeting.

According to the prime minister’s press adviser, Gobinda Pariyar, the task force will have two members from NC and one member each from the six parties participating in the meeting. The task force will start  detailed discussions from Thursday on how to move ahead in the upcoming polls  in view of the electoral alliance formed by the leftist parties including UML and the CPN (Maoist Center).  

According to RJPN leader Rajendra Mahato, there has been agreement that all ‘democratic forces’ should forge an electoral alliance in the upcoming polls. “It is the necessity of the times to forge an alliance of democratic forces. Unity and  an alliance among democratic parties are likely very soon,” he said.

According to Mahato, the names of  members of task force are yet to be finalized. The parties have decided to forward the names of their candidates for the task force and set the minimum criteria for electoral alliance, by Thursday.  

Smaller parties on both sides of political spectrum are under pressure to choose between NC and UML due to the sharp political polarization. If the broad left alliance produces the desired 
outcome in the upcoming elections, it is likely to diminish the showing of smaller parties and render them irrelevant in national politics. 

A meeting of RJPN leaders earlier in the day had decided to forge an alliance with ‘democratic forces’. “UML-led alliance has necessitated a counter alliance. Our party is ready to be part of such an alliance for the provincial and parliamentary elections. But much will depend on how the NC steps forward,” said Anil Kumar Jha, a member of the RJPN presidium. 

Earlier in the day, an NC meeting  decided to forge an alliance to counter the leftist alliance initiated by  UML. The meeting  also decided to hold meetings with other parties for the electoral alliance.

 
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