Kathmandu, March 6:

Former Prime Minister and chairman of Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) Surya Bahadur Thapa today met main opposition Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala and stressed on the need to form a broader democratic alliance of all political parties which believe in democracy.

In the meeting that lasted for about 40 minutes, Koirala said a decision on forming such an alliance should be taken only after consulting with other political parties, including the government partner CPN-UML. The meeting was held at Koirala’s residence in Maharajgunj. On the occasion, Koirala told Thapa the NC would initiate consultations on contentious political issues with the political parties within a couple of days, said Kiran Giri, central member, Thapa requested Koirala to lead the front.

“If the democratic forces do not take immediate serious steps, nobody will be able to stop the country from falling into totalitarianism,” Giri quoted Thapa as telling Koirala.

The meeting was focused on the necessity and rationale of the democratic front to save the country from possible autocracy, Giri said. Koirala and Thapa discussed on the ‘autocratic and unilateral’ style of running of the present government. Both the leaders said that the government had failed to maintain law and order and provide relief to the people. The leaders also said they should wait for court decision on the issue of recruitment in the Nepal Army.

Meanwhile, Koirala today urged the government to ratify the Rome Statute on International Criminal Court. At a meeting with an international delegation of ‘Coalition for International Criminal Court’, Koirala said the NC would press the government during the winter session of the House to ratify the statute.

“Koirala expressed serious dissatisfaction at the government’s functioning, specially for its failure to end growing impunity,” Subodh Raj Pyakurel, executive chairperson of Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), said. “The government not only failed to control impunity, but also it is showing unwillingness for the same,” Koirala said.