Political deal unlikely in next couple of days: Leaders
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Feb 14: Some key politicians who held parleys with President Ram Baran Yadav on Wednesday ruled out any possibility of leaders reaching a political agreement within the next couple of days.
“We are trying to iron out differences to find a common ground and end the deadlock but an immediate solution is unlikely,” CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal told media persons while emerging from the president´s office.
The president resumed talks with top leaders of the major political forces while the UCPN (Maoist) proposal to form an election government under the leadership of sitting chief justice has strongly been criticized by the central committee meetings of major opposition parties - Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML.
The president held separate parleys with UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman Khanal, CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya, Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic Chairman Bijay Gachchhadar and Tarai-Madhes Democratic Party Chairman Mahantha Thakur on Wednesday.
Khanal was accompanied by KP Sharma Oli and Ishwar Pokharel during the meeting with the president.
The UML leaders explained before the president why forming a CJ-headed government wouldn´t help end the current political crisis.
“We put forth our views about why political leadership is necessary to end the deadlock and manage the crisis,” UML General Secretary Pokharel told Republica. The UML leaders were of the view that apolitical leadership wouldn´t be able to hold CA elections by settling thorny issues in a critical time.
Underscoring the gravity of the current political situation and urgency of a solution, the president urged the leaders to come up with consensus on ending the stalemate.
An overwhelming majority of CPN-UML central committee members on Tuesday had rejected the UCPN (Maoist) proposal to form a government under the sitting chief justice and pressed the party leadership to lobby for formation of a government under the leadership of a political party.
Deputy Prime Minister Gachchhadar, who also heads United Madhesi Democratic Front, an alliance of the Madhes-based parties said that they are open to other options if that helps end the deadlock and ensure election in the coming spring.
“We are open to all options including formation of an election government headed by chief justice or a leader from a small or major political party,” said Gachchhadar.
UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Dahal´s personal secretary Chudamani Khadka said, Dahal reiterated the party´s position to form CJ-headed coalition and to hold elections in the coming spring.
Baidya rejects govt led by chief justice
Putting forth his party´s views on the proposal to form an election government under the sitting chief justice, CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya told the president that his party is against the proposal.
“I informed the president that we object to this proposal on three grounds. Firstly, this is against the principle of separation of powers. Secondly, it undermines the role of political parties and such a system is adopted only at a time when political parties utterly fail,” Baidya told Republica. “Similarly, this is against the letter and spirit of the interim constitution.”
Baidya, who had last year had formed CPN-Maoist after splitting with the ruling UCPN (Maoist), suggested to the president to consult all the political parties and not to seek solution only from the UCPN (Maoist), NC, UML and the ruling Madhes-based parties´ alliance.
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Political Deal Unlikely In Next Couple Of Days: Leaders
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