Kathmandu, February 20:

While leaders of the seven-party alliance today categorically rejected the King’s suggestion for dialogue, former chairman of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee Dr Keshar Jung Rayamajhi and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Rana) suggested the alliance leaders to comprehend it without any conditions.

Dr Rayamajhi, who is also the president of Janata Dal (Socialist-Democratic), suggested the parties to take dialogue as the topmost priority to thrash out the differences. “Further delay for dialogue might lead the country towards affliction,” he warned speaking at the Reporters’ Club today.

The King, on the occasion of 56th Democracy Day, had asked the political parties to come forth to “activate the democratic process”.

Saying that the ongoing movement alone will decide the future course of the country, NC leader Bhim Bahadur Tamang ruled out dialogue with the King. According to Tamang, the movement now has taken such a momentum that even the parties have failed to cope up with it.

CPN-UML leader Pradeep Nepal termed the statement “third edition of the February 1, 2005 Royal speech” and said the parties would not go for dialogue unless the King guarantees total reactivation of the constitutional process, which he argued could be the basis for dialogue.

NC (Democratic) spokesperson Dr Minendra Rizal suggested the King to “give up giving moral lectures” and give all rights to the people. “We have not asked anything from the King except giving sovereign powers and rights to the people,” he said.

Deepak Bohara, general secretary of the RPP, however, termed the King’s statement “a positive beginning” but asked about the procedures for dialogue. “Parties must not miss this opportunity and go for unconditional dialogue with the King.”

Bohara also suggested the alliance leaders to believe in King’s statement saying: “When you all can believe in Maoists’ statement, why can’t we do that with the King?” Bohara said. “Refusing the offer for dialogue indicates that the parties are not serious towards maintaining peace in the country,” he said.

Vice-president Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi), Bharat Bimal Yadav, ruled out any possibility of dialogue unless the King agrees to the elections to constituent assembly.

King-party talks will end crisis: Satchit

Kathmandu: Stating that only the talks between the King and political parties would resolve the crisis, Raj Parisad Standing Committee member Satchit Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana on Monday asked the parties to respond to the King’s appeal for talks.

“The parties should talk to the King and form an interim government for holding the parliamentary elections,” said Rana. He claimed the parties to have joined hands with the Maoists after they could do no other thing.

“When there is still possibility of dialogue and consensus in order to resolve the political turmoil and Maoist insurgency, why should they (the parties) go for Constituent Assembly,” Rana said at an interaction of Media Group.

He also claimed the Maoists’ activities to have increased after the parties-Maoists pact. Saying the Supreme Court verdict should be respected, he said, “If politics enters the Court as said by some people, then it won’t be good for the judiciary’s future.”

Padma Sundar Lawati of RPP and Rameshwar Rai Yadav of NSP said that only talks between the King and parties would resolve the current crisis. “King’s call for dialogue is a golden opportunity. The Maoists, too, should come for dialogue,” said Lawati. — HNS