Kathmandu, October 4

The CPN-UML, the CPN-MC and the Naya Shakti Party-Nepal today formed a seven-member committee under UML General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel to draft a common election manifesto. The parties had signed a six-point deal yesterday. .

A meeting of the Unity Coordination Committee today also formed a task force  to select candidates for the provincial and parliamentary elections.

UML leaders  Pokharel, Bishnu Paudel and Surendra Pandey; CPN-MC leaders Ram Bahadur Thapa, Barshaman Pun and Matrika Yadav; and NSP-N leader Ganga Shrestha are members of the task force.

CPN-MC leader and a member of Unity Coordination Committee Narayankaji Shrestha told THT that the committees were mandated to accomplish the tasks assigned to them by October 15. “Because of time constraints, the committees must work on a war footing,” he added.

UML leaders Bhim Rawal, Pradeep Gyawali; CPN-MC leaders Narayankaji Shrestha, Dev Gurung, Bishwabhakta Dulal; and Naya Shakti Party-Nepal leaders Dambar Khatiwada and Laxmi Devkota are members of the election manifesto drafting committee.

The Unity Coordination Committee also decided that the three parties would file candidacies under proportional representation electoral system separately.