Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 5:

General secretary of the CPN-UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal, today said the seven-party alliance must have a “clear understanding” and “full confidence” in its common political agenda based on which it seeks to restore democracy and resolve the Maoist insurgency. “We have to clearly interpret the common political agenda to establish full democracy and find a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” Nepal said at an interaction programme organised here by the Ganeshman Singh Academy on “Democracy and peace in the current climate”. Presenting a working paper, former minister Nilambar Acharya said the Palace is against the idea of the Parliament’s revival because it would bring an end to the King’s direct rule. “It is unconstitutional for the Palace if its moves help reactivate the constitution, and it is constitutional for it if its moves keep the constitutional process in limbo,” he said. He further said the King never constituted a royal commission to take action against “terrorism,” which, he said, was the main reason behind assuming absolute power on February 1.

He also accused the monarch of prolonging his “direct rule” in the name of holding elections.

Commenting on Acharya’s paper, Nepal pointed out the need to consider why the Palace always attacked democracy. He said democracy could be preserved and protected provided that all democratic forces reach a consensus on inclusive democracy. Noted economist and former minister, Devendra Raj Pandey, urged the political parties to keep aside their

“ambiguity” and make their goals clear so that their movement could gain momentum. “We all were aware of what the King had in mind since his accession to the throne,” Pandey said. “But the political parties pretended they were unaware of it,” he added.

Pandey said that the people would take part in the alliance’s movement if they unequivocally convinced them on the requirement of the revival of the Parliament. Acting president of the Nepali Congress (Democratic), Gopal Man Shrestha, vowed that the alliance’s unity would remain intact until its goal is achieved. Vice-president of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi

Devi), Bharat Bimal Yadav, said a section of the international community had raised suspicions

on the “legitimacy” of the revival of the House of Representatives because the alliance itself had not been able to bring up its relevance forcefully.