Chitwan, May 7

CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel today said anti-constitution parties and forces had hatched a plot to topple the UML-led government.

Addressing a function in Bharatpur of Chitwan, Pokhrel said, “Parties that attempted to block promulgation of the new constitution had plotted to topple the incumbent government, but they failed in their attempt.” He stated that the new constitution would not have been promulgated without the unwavering commitment of his party.

Denying that the major political parties had signed the 16-point deal under any outside pressure, Pokhrel said the same deal had helped the parties promulgate the new constitution. He stressed on unity between all political forces for the implementation of the statute. Pokharel also clarified that his party would not stand in the way of forming a national consensus government.

UML leader Pokharel also accused the main opposition Nepali Congress of trying to topple the government fearing that the government would bring people-centric programmes.

Speaking at the function, he directed the party rank and file to commit work for social transformation, which he said was a prerequisite for development. “The time to struggle for political rights is over. It is now time for us to focus on economic and social transformation,” said Pokhrel.

Stressing the need for intra-party unity to tackle problems facing the country, he said, “We have to learn from past mistakes and work hard for the unity within and outside the party,” Pokhrel added.

Stating that Nepal had been India-locked for centuries, Pokhrel argued that transit treaty with China had ended Nepal’s reliance on India. “We are not playing one neighbour against another. Rather, we are for having balanced ties with both India and China,” he added.