Kathmandu, November 21:

The time has come for the political parties to agree to go for the polls in order to strengthen democracy, said a minister and political leaders at a programme here today. The pro-government leaders also criticised the political leaders for running outside Nepal at any given opportunity and being a puppet to the foreigners’ tunes. The government is committed to holding elections on the scheduled date, said Durga Shrestha, Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare. “Elections are the people’s right and all concerned should make the most out of it. People are willing to elect their representatives,” she said. She was speaking at a programme titled ‘Political parties’ role in elections’ organised by the Media Group Nepal.

Elections are necessary to strengthen democracy the lack of which has created problems, she said. “However, political leaders run abroad and dance to the tunes of foreigners,” said Shrestha.

Stating that there is no alternative to elections, Bhuwan Pathak of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party said: “The parties that swindled votes in the previous elections are probably scared that they may not be able to win the people’s votes in the upcoming fair polls.” They need not be apprehensive if people are with them. Security, according to him, has been tightened in 58 municipalities and that there is definitely an environment for fair polls. Pointing out that RPP’s central committee has decided to participate in the municipal elections, he said the party is already making necessary preparations for the same. “If they don’t participate in the elections,

they will miss the train while we will reach our destination by winning the polls,” he said.

Leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Rastrabadi), Rajeshwor Devkota, said, “My only concern is that the country should not head towards anarchy.” The politicians are playing a tactic of threatening the government. The recent Delhi visit of political leaders is an example of it,” he said.