UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday said the failure of the Nepali Congress to come up with a prime ministerial candidate is hampering efforts for consensus.
Dahal said the tendency of non-cooperation among prospective candidates of the NC has been delaying attempts to strike a compromise on the reinstatement of the Constituent Assembly (CA). His statement comes at a time when the three major parties have set for themselves a September 16 deadline to strike agreement on two options--CA revival or fresh polls--to promulgate a new constitution.
Addressing an interaction organised by the Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA), the Maoist boss said striking a deal will be easy if the NC proposes a PM candidate. “There are three candidates vying for the post in the Nepali Congress. When one of them tries to take up his case, the other two create hurdles,” said Dahal.
He, however said the NC will not get to lead the government if it fails to agree on contentious issues of constitution writing.He further said there is no crisis of confidence among the three major parties, but that differences within the parties have been detrimental to consensus.
An electoral government can be formed under a civil society leader or a former judge if parties fail to reach a compromise on disputed issues of the new constitution, according to Dahal.
Dahal, who heads the FDRA of pro-federal forces, said such a situation would be 'unfortunate' and will give a message that political leaders are not capable of even forming a government.
If other parties disagree on the contentious issues, matters like border demarcation of federal units can be sent for referendum, said Dahal, explaining that he has put forth this option in the ongoing three-party talks. Dahal said that identity-based federalism to be enshrined in the new constitution promulgated by the CA is “non-negotiable”.
On identity-based federalism, Dahal said that given the social structure of Nepal, no group can claim absolute dominance. He added that the first priority of the alliance is elections, but that it also open to CA revival.
Responding to a query, Dahal said that the “journey that started among the parties from the 12-point agreement has not ended.”
Echoing Dahal, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said the journey continues as the spirit of the agreement was to end ethnic, class and gender discrimination through the CA.
A majority of other speakers in the interaction stood against revival of the CA.
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