Maoists to strive to win all seats in next polls: Badal

Kathmandu, May 24:

‘NC riders may boomerang’.

Maoist leader Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ has said the constitution should not be amended to replace the provision of a two thirds majority with a simple majority to form or oust the government, as it will have adverse impact on the framing of a new constitution.

Admitting that his party cadres committed “blunder in Ram Hari Shrestha’s murder case”, Badal said his party was prepared to take action against the culprits and extend cooperation in the probe.

Badal made these remarks while addressing an interaction organised in the capital today.

He said once the simple majority provision was incorporated in the constitution, the political parties would indulge in the game of frequently changing the government and buying lawmakers. This will only create obstacles in framing a new constitution, he said.

sked what could be the basis for understanding between the Maoists and non-Maoist parties that have serious differences over the simple majority provision, he said the interim constitution and the people’s fresh mandate should be the basis for consensus.

“We might say Girija Babu, as an old figure, could be the president, but the people’s mandate is against him,” the Maoist leader further said.

He added that the Prime Minister should have immediately stepped down after the results of Constituent Assembly elections were out.

He said since the major political parties are split over the presidential system, it would be better to continue with the existing system till the new constitution was not framed.

“We are ready to rectify our mistakes and others have the right to point out our mistakes, but the demand of the dissolution of the Young Communist League is either a ploy or manifestation of their anger over the electoral defeat of other parties,” the Maoist leader further said.

He said his party was determined to expand the YCL because the party wanted to win all 240 seats in the next election. “But we want to ensure free competition and everybody should opt for introspection,” he added.

Asked to comment on the Nepali Congress’ seven-point conditions, Badal said, “Yo sat sutriya maang Congress lai sadhe satko dasha nabanos (I hope the seven-point conditions does not prove to be a bad omen for the NC).”

He said if the king did not leave the palace after the abolition of monarchy, he would be prosecuted for defying the law.

Clarifying that there was just one army in two forms, Nepal Army and the Maoist Army, the Maoist leader said the new government would streamline the works of army integration based on policies ratified earlier.