UML sticks to stances but will hold 9-party meet to build common view
KATHMANDU: The main opposition CPN-UML on Monday decided to hold meeting with eight other parties in the opposition and build a common view on Nepal's political state of affairs including the latest efforts by the ruling parties to make an amendment to the Constitution prior to the local level elections.
A meeting of the party’s powerful Standing Committee -- held at the CPN-UML’s central office in Dhumbarahi -- stressed on the essence of holding elections in all -- local, provincial and federal-- levels and the implementation of Constitution, while urging all the political forces to accept that.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had called a meeting of major parties -- his CPN Maoist Centre, ruling allies Nepali Congress and Rastriya Prajatantar Party and the main opposition CPN-UML -- earlier this morning.
In the meeting, he told the CPN-UML leaders that he was holding talks with the Madhesi parties over amendment of some provisions of the Constitution prior to the local elections in order to ensure their participation in the polls.
Dahal has been proposing to amend the Constitution before the May 14 in order to address the agitating Madhesi parties' demands, except that on the demarcation of provincial boundaries, which he said would be done by a commission later.
The leaders of main opposition, however, maintained that they were not in favour of any amendment for now.
The Standing Committee directed the party’s rank-and-file to prepare for the local level elections scheduled for May 14 with vigil against any efforts to prevent them, according to a statement issued by the party’s Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai, who is also the chief of publicity department.
The party asked the government to diffuse confusion over the elections and ensure them. Also, it has drawn the Election Commission’s attention to increase the pace of election-related works.
The party has demanded that the election code of conduct be strictly followed, while charging that the government has breached it by allocating budget, transferring civil servants.
