Kathmandu, December 20:

CPN-UML standing committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari today said the country was heading towards confrontation as the ruling CPN-Maoist and main opposition Nepali Congress were calling for political polarisation at a time when the nation needed a culture of consensus.

“NC’s call for a broader democratic alliance and the Maoist’s idea of forging an alliance of republican forces are clear indications that both the parties are in a mood of confrontation,” Adhikari said at an interaction organised here today.

He said the CPN-Maoist, mainly Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, was chiefly responsible for breaching the culture of consensus among the major parties that continued since the 12-point understanding.

“We have been insisting on an equal representation in the Special Committee on the integration of Maoist combatants. But the Maoists have turned a deaf ear to our proposal,” he said.

He added that confidence of mutual trust would not be restored unless the PM kept his words as per the agreements reached in the past. He, however, said his party would not quit the government, rather they wanted to make it strong. Maoist spokesperson Dinanath Sharma said his party was trying its best to evolve a mechanism among the Maoists, NC and the UML so as to find a solution to all pertinent problems on a consensus basis. Khanal also hoped that regular parliamentary session would continue from tomorrow, as his party was looking for

ways to resolve the issues raised by the NC.

NC boycotted the House on Thursday demanding that the PM keep his word given to the parliament.

Shobhakhar Parajuli, NC whip, accused the PM of not implementing the understanding reached between the head of the government and his party about a month ago.

The PM had reached a nine-point understanding with the NC in which the government was supposed to return all seized property to rightful owners, end paramilitary structure of YCL and create conducive environment for the safe return of internally-displaced people to their homes. “We boycotted the House to bring the government on democratic track and make it accountable to the parliament,” Parajuli added.

Ramjanam Chaudhary, chief whip of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, said his party might quit the government in two months if the PM did not keep his word. “We may quit the government and go to the people if the PM fails to implement the agreements reached in the past,” Chaudhary said, adding that his party will pressure the PM to get the agreements fulfilled.

He also warned that the government’s plan to install thermal plants to ease energy crisis would be a blow to consumers as price of electricity generated from them would be thrice the existing rate.