Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, January 2:

Local Development Minister Yuvaraj Gyawali, today said the government cannot wait for too long for the Maoists to come to the talks table.

Speaking at an interaction organised by the Reporters’ Club here, the minister also said the country cannot be governed for an indefinite period under Article 127 of the constitution and without the people’s representatives in the Parliament.

“For this, election is a must and the King himself has asked the government to initiate the processes by mid-April,” he said. Although holding free elections without fear is a difficult task, no party has expressed views against it, Gyawali said.

The minister, however, stressed the need of holding meaningful dialogue with the Maoists before going to the polls. Speaking about the agitating parties’ demand for the reinstatement of the House of Representatives, Gyawali said: “Both the King and the Maoists are not in favour of it.” Former Supreme Court justice Laxman Aryal was of the view that one of the best option was to go for elections taking the Maoists into confidence. The second option, according to him, is to revive the House, which, he said, was least likely.

Central working committee member of the ruling Nepali Congress (Democratic), Dr Narayan Khadka, said that his party has kept other options open, including the revival of the House, if it is not possible to hold elections by mid-April.

RPP leader Padma Sundar Lawati said that the Maoist problem remained unsolved for nine years as people “lacked a desired culture for resolving any crises”.

Bal Bahadur Rai of the Nepali Congress said Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was talking of elections simply to prolong the government’s tenure.