Kathmandu, April 14

The CPN-Maoist Centre has decided to be cautious against forces, who do not want local level elections so as to prolong  the political turmoil in the country.

A CPN-MC headquarter meeting held today at Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s official residence in Baluwatar decided to take initiatives to hold local level elections slated for May 14 on the stipulated date itself.

“Some internal and external forces do not want elections, stability and peace in the country, “ said CPN-MC leader Mani Thapa. He said the meeting concluded there was no alternative to local level polls and the party would leave no stone unturned to ensure success of the elections.

According to Thapa, the meeting also urged the United Democratic Madhesi Front, an alliance of agitating Madhesi parties, to sort out differences through dialogue.

The CPN-MC said the five-point constitution amendment proposal tabled by the government in the Parliament was the appropriate method for addressing issues raised by Madhesi parties.

“There is no alternative to polls and the party has decided to hold elections at any cost,” said CPN-MC leader Dev Gurung, adding that the meeting has directed the government to hold further talks with the UDMF to make local level elections successful.

He said his party would also urge the main opposition CPN-UML not to obstruct the process in the Parliament, even if they had reservations on the proposal.

The United Democratic Madhesi Front is wary that the government and ruling parties might hold talks only to engage the Madhesi forces and not do anything to address the front’s demands

Meanwhile, Sadbhawana Party General Secretary Manish Kumar Suman said the United Democratic Madhesi Front was wary that the government and ruling parties might want to hold talks with the United Democratic Madhesi Front just to engage it and not do anything to address the front’s demands. “We are not against negotiated settlement of our issues, but dialogue should be meaningful,” he said, adding that if the ruling parties were sincere about finding a solution to the Madhes problem then they should postpone local polls and negotiate with the UDMF.

Suman said the new constitution amendment bill was incomplete as it did not contain the proposal on federalism that PM Dahal had told the UDMF about before the bill was registered. “The PM had been telling us that revision of provincial boundaries would be done through a powerful commission within three months on the basis of the report submitted by the erstwhile State Restructuring Commission and the first CA’s thematic committee, but the bill did not contain any such proposal,” he said, adding that the UDMF would not agree to postponement of federalism. He said the government committed a blunder by withdrawing the old bill that had proposed to create another province in the Tarai from Nawalparasi (Bardghat Susta west) to Bardiya.

He said the UDMF was not in favour of holding talks just for the sake of talks. “We are committed to our demands. We doubt this government will do anything to address our demands. If it is able, it should at least show courage to pass the bill it has registered in the Parliament.

The CPN-MC headquarter  meeting also decided to finalise the names of candidates by April 24 in all 744 local levels and warned of stern action against those who went against the party’s decision on candidates.

The party will hold election assemblies in all 744 local levels on April 24 and launch a door-to-door campaign.