Kathmandu, November 24:

Nepali Congress spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC said today that although his party would take suggestion of world’s renowned personality, Jimmy Carter, on the issue of a republic and electoral system, NC was firmly committed to its stance taken by the party’s Mahasamiti meeting.

“We respect views expressed by the world’s renowned personality (former US president Jimmy Carter). But we are committed to our stance that the first meeting of the constituent assembly should decide the future of the monarchy and election should be held on mixed basis,” KC told media persons at the Reporters’ Club. He was referring to Carter’s suggestion that NC needs to show flexibility on the election system.

He, however, added that his party wanted to find a consensus on the republic and election system. “But the Maoist leadership must guarantee that it will not come forward with new conditions once a new date is fixed for the constituent assembly election,” KC said at the Reporters’ Club. Acting general secretary of the CPN-UML Amrit Kumar Bohara was of the view that the main challenge ahead of the seven parties was to fix the new date for the election. He said the parties were doing homework to announce the election date. Bohara said the motion on a republic passed by the special session of the interim parliament has called for reviewing why election could not be held despite fixing the date twice, announcing new date for the election and declaring the country a republic after fulfilling legal procedures. He, however, lamented that the government had failed to restore law and order.

President of the Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal Chitra Bahadur KC said the seven parties were responsible for the deferral of the election in June while the November 22 election could not be held due to Maoist threats of disturbing it. “There can be no consensus only on the Maoist agenda,” he said, adding that election should not be deferred on the ground that a particular party did not want the election held.

Co-president of the Rastriya Janashakti Party Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani said the election was deferred due to non-implementation of the agreements and the provision of the interim constitution.

“The seven parties’ syndicate system has disrespected the people’s rights to make

a new constitution through their elected representatives,” Dr Lohani said, adding that

the image of the seven parties, who fought for democracy, had taken a beating due to their own activities.

He also rapped the Maoists for taking law in their hands and beating up a senior

doctor in Biratnagar and indulging in extortion, kidnapping and murder even after entering the peace process.

NC holds informal meet:

Kathmandu: An informal meeting of the NC reviewed talks and discussions going on with other parties on Saturday. The party also reviewed the government’s performance and the views expressed by Carter on Nepali politics.

The NC said it will not go for a fully proportional electoral system. “The views expressed by Carter are not official views,” Dr Ram Baran Yadav, a senior leader of the NC, told this daily on Saturday. “We are firm on our stance.” The meet accepted the fact that security situation in the country, especially in the Tarai, is worsening. Carter had expressed concern about the situation in the Tarai. The NC leaders expressed concern about security situation and decided to ask the government to take steps to maintain law and order. — HNS