Kathmandu, November 12:

The Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leaders said today that all the political parties must be prepared to hold the constituent assembly election within Bikram Era 2064 (March 2008) so as to institutionalise achievements of the April revolution.

“The main agenda and responsibility of the government and the seven parties is to hold the CA polls within 2064 Bikam Era and it should not be further delayed by putting new preconditions,” said Finance Minister and NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat at the Reporters’ Club.

Asking the Maoists not to create any problem in the regular winter session of the parliament in the name of implementing the November 4 decision of the parliament, which passed two proposals of a republic and fully proportional electoral system with a simple majority, the finance minister said the government had taken the parliament’s decision in its “notice”.

The finance minister accused the Maoist of collecting funds from teachers and employees in villages to intensify their planned agitation.

“Once you enter the constitutional framework, you must stop giving threats of taking to the streets to pressurise the government to fulfil your demands,” Dr Mahat said.

“The government needs to be reactivate and restructure to accomplish the nation’s important jobs and all the parties must come up with a single voice to hold the election within Bikram Era 2064,” UML standing committee member Jhala Nath Khanal said.

He stressed the need to form the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Commission to restructure the state and local level peace committees in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Senior Maoist leader Mohan Baidhya, aka Kiran, said: “We may take to the streets and may also demand change in the government’s leadership if the parliament’s majority decision is not implemented,” Bidya said, adding that many things would depend on how the NC would take the parliament’s decision.

United Left Front leader CP Mainali said if the parties, who supported the Maoists and UML’s proposals in the interim parliament, insist that the majority decision should prevail, it would only lead the seven parties’ unity towards split. Mainali urged the Maoists, UML and NC to find a middle path between the interim parliament’s decision.