Damaru Lal Bhandari

Kathmandu, February 26:

Leaders of five political parties — Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, NC (Democratic), Janamorcha Nepal and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi) — today formed a joint front.

An announcement to this effect was made in their joint statement which also declared a fresh spell of protest programmes.

The statement has been signed by NC leader Bal Bahadur Rai, CPN-UML leader Jhala Nath Khanal, NC (D) leader Bijay Kumar Gachchadar, Janamorcha Nepal leader Chitra Bahadur Ale and NSP (A) leader Bharat Bimal Yadav.

This is the first time that the four-party alliance led by the NC has accepted NC (D) as an ally despite sporadic protests by a section of leaders averse to having the NC (D) as a political partner.

The big section of leaders associated with the BP Thought Forum had been vehemently opposing any unity of purpose with the NC(D).

The main concern of the senior leaders linked to BP Thought Forum is the alliance could end up losing its credibility if it took in the NC (D) as a partner while it does not share the political agenda at all.

While the NC has been so far demanding reinstatement of the House of Representatives, today’s joint statement was silent on that point, making only a vague reference to the formation of a representative government.

The alliance has expressed serious concern over the February 1 development which comes in the backdrop of the October 4, 2002 development. The statement also reiterated that no issue could be sorted out in the absence of democracy.

The new front has also demanded revocation of the February 1 move and called for lifting of the state of emergency and restoration of constitutional clauses which have been suspended. Release of leaders still under arrest is another demand.

The five-party front has also announced protest programmes on March 8 and 14. On March 8, the front will stage protest programmes in the capital and elsewhere in the country, with party and sister organisation flagships hitting the streets in a peaceful manner.

On March 14, the front will organise countrywide protests, with each party free to conduct its own programmes as well.

Earlier in the day, NC(D) had said it had decided to forge working unity with all those parties which have faith in multiparty democracy. The decision was taken on Friday and belatedly released today.

Adding that the objective of the party was to restore parliamentary democracy, the meeting which was conducted by party General Secretary Bijay Kumar Gachachadar also said that the Royal takeover had complicated the politica l scenario.

The NC(D) has also opposed the decision whereby the all-party government led by it was dismissed and power centralised in the hands of the monarch.

The party has demanded the immediate restoration of basic rights. The party also issued a call to the Maoists to seek a solution to the crisis within constitutional limits.