Pokhara, December 1:

The second national convention of the Gurung Rastriya Parishad began amidst a fanfare here today.

Rallies of the Parishad started from different points in Pokhara and converged at Chipledhunga.

Inaugurating the convention, Speaker Subas Nembang said inclusiveness can flourish only in a democracy.

Stating that the indigenous communities ought to play a vital role in the constituent assembly polls, he said the constituent assembly elections should be held on a proportional representation basis.

He also urged the seven parties to reach a consensus soon for ending political uncertainty and taking the democratic process forward.

He added that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chairman Prachanda seemed to be making progress on the consensus front.

Special guest at the convention, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prithvi Subba Gurung urged the indigenous communities to fight for their rights.

Pointing out that autonomy was the aim of the Parishad, he said that only a the constituent assembly would help realise the aim.

Parishad former general secretary Om Gurung said that political parties were trying to brush the declaration of a republic and proportional constituents assembly elections under the carpet.

Public Service Commission member Ganeshman Gurung, Sant Bahadur Gurung, Jagman Gurung, Roshan Tamu, Chandra Bahadur Gurung and Karma Gurung also spoke in favour of a federal republic.

Tributes were also paid to late Dr Harka Bahadur Gurung. Amar Bahadur Gurung and Jagman Gurung were honoured with the Dr Chandra Prasad Gurung memorial award.

More than 300 delegates from all over the country are attending the three-day

convention.

In a separate programme today, Nembang stressed the need for unity and agreement between the seven parties for implementation of the proposals of full proportional representation system in the election to constituent assembly and declaration of a republic.

Talking to journalists after receiving a five-point memorandum submitted to him by the Kaski chapter of Network of Civil Society for Peace (NCSP), he said that a two-third

majority is necessary to implement the two proposals passed by the parliament recently and for this unity among the seven parties is necessary.

“Difference of opinion among the parties on these two issues will not help move forward. This will make the election to constituent assembly further uncertain,” he said.

He further added that a conclusion will be drawn on the issues as per the agreement between the parties.

“In a discussion this morning, I found Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chief Prachanda positive to resolve the problems through agreement,” he said.

The new constitution

which will be formed by

the constituent assembly after the CA polls could change everything, he said.