Kathmandu, December 20:

CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said today that PM Girija Prasad Koirala would be responsible if he failed to hold the constituent assembly election within mid-April.

Talking to media persons at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon his return from Kolkata, Nepal said that the PM should step down if he was not committed to holding the polls in mid-April.

Nepal had gone to Kolkata to participate in the national convention of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist). “The PM must tell the nation whether he is committed to holding the polls within mid-April,” Nepal said, adding that his party was fully committed to it and prepared for holding the same on time.

Nepal said that as long as the seven-party remained intact, there must be a culture of “collective decision” and “individual responsibility”. “It is unfair to pass the buck on the others even for the mistakes committed by the PM.

The PM should be held accountable if he fails to conduct the polls,” he said.

Asked why it took such a long time for the seven parties to reach a consensus on the issues of republic, electoral system and full compliance with the peace process, Nepal said, “The taskforce had almost reached a consensus on those issues before I left for Kolkata. We were almost on the verge of signing papers of the taskforce. I do not know who spoiled it again.”