NC initiates efforts to forge democratic alliance

Kathmandu, October 4

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is also president of the Nepali Congress, floated a proposal to form a broader democratic alliance at the Central Working Committee meeting of the party.

According to NC leader Bal Krishna Khand, most party leaders who spoke supported PM Deuba’s proposal. “Most likely, the party will take a formal decision in this regard tomorrow,” he added.

The leaders also suggested that Deuba include nationalist and progressive forces in the broader democratic alliance.

According to Khand, some leaders said the left alliance could adversely impact the upcoming provincial and parliamentary elections scheduled for November 26 and December 7.

Khand informed that a formal decision on forming a democratic alliance could not be taken today as many leaders were yet to speak at the meeting.

NC leader Prakash Sharan Mahat said the party has appealed to its cadres to make all possible efforts to win the upcoming elections without being discouraged by the alliance among the CPN-UML, CPN-MC and the Naya Shakti Party-Nepal.

Party leaders underlined the need to strengthen internal unity for the election campaign.

Mahat also informed that his party would hold discussions with other parties on the issue of forming a broader democratic alliance.

Deuba told the meeting that he had not given any reason to the CPN-MC to be disappointed with him.

“Any kind of political alliance,” Mahat said, “Could not undermine pluralistic values adopted by the country since the restoration of democracy.”

“Most of the leaders said it was for the CPN-MC ministers to decide whether or not to quit the incumbent government,” Mahat added.

The leaders also told the meeting that if a broader democratic alliance was formed, then the distribution of First-Past-the-Post tickets should be done on the basis of the respective parties’ strength. “Unlike the left coalition, we will not fix any percentage for FPTP ticket distribution,” he said.

Some leaders also held the view that if the newly formed left alliance was   a challenge for the party, then it was also an opportunity to strengthen internal unity and rally all the democratic forces under one umbrella.

Senior NC leader Kul Bahadur Gurung told THT that the party would start result-oriented talks soon with other like-minded parties on the issue of broader democratic alliance.