Our proposal is that we should be given a chance to hold local polls and the CPN-MC and the NC can hold the provincial and general elections, respectively

• Yogesh Bhattarai, CPN-UML secretary

Kathmandu, July 7

A politburo meeting of the CPN-Maoist Centre today decided to form a consensus government to resolve the current problems facing the nation.

According to a press release issued by the party here today, the party decided to take the initiative to form a national consensus government to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process, expedite the reconstruction works, address the concerns of agitating Madhesi, Janajati and Tharu forces and to hold elections for political structures.

CPN-MC politburo member Mani Thapa said his party was of the view that if national consensus government could not be formed then the party should form a government with the parties that supported its agenda.

Thapa said if the CPN-UML-led government supported its agenda, it would let it continue or else it would seek to form a new government.

Thapa said the party concluded that the government was not positive about implementing the nine-point agreement signed between his party and the UML. He said its agenda was the main concern of his party and not the leadership of the government.

Senior CPN-MC leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said his party reached the conclusion that national consensus government was the need of hour and his party would make efforts for the same.

He said the government had done precious little to implement the nine-point agreement.

Thapa said Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli-led government did not make sincere attempts to legalise land transaction deals made during the conflict period. “This government is not positive about forging partnership for jointly contesting local polls nor did it make any effort to secure release of our leaders and cadres who are in jails facing criminal charges for conflict-era cases,” Thapa said.

He added that his party wanted all the conflict era cases resolved through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai said consensus among the three major parties - the UML, the CPN-Maoist and the Nepali Congress -- was necessary to form a national consensus government.

He added that these parties could come together only when there was an agreement on the issues of reconstruction, implementation of the constitution, power sharing and addressing the concerns of Madhesi and Tharu forces.

Bhattarai said his party was not against national consensus government but if the CPN-MC just wanted to change the leadership, his party might not back its agenda. Bhattarai said a power-sharing deal between the three major parties could help forge national consensus.

“Our proposal is that we should be given a chance to hold local polls and the CPN-MC and the NC can hold the provincial and general elections, respectively,” he added.

Meanwhile, the CPN-MC also decided to hold its general convention from January 7-12 in Kathmandu.