Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 2:

Former prime minister and chairman of the Nepal Janashakti Party, Surya Bahadur Thapa, today urged all political forces to try and solve the present crisis themselves and not let foreigners intervene. “The present crisis can be solved only through consent and cooperation. There is no alternative,” Thapa said, adding that all parties should be fully prepared and come forward together. Thapa was speaking at the first orientation programme for central members of the three-month-old party. Thapa said there is no need to allow foreign forces to interfere in the parties’ agenda and the solution would come by, sooner or later, only through a common understanding among Nepal’s leading political forces. “Confrontation among constitutional forces will invite foreign intervention, which wil be tragic,” he said.

‘Takeover brought parties closer’

Kathmandu: Leaders of major parties said on Thursday there was an increasing polarisation among the political forces after the King’s February 1 takeover. Addressing an interaction organised by the Reports’ Club, CPN-UML central member Shankar Pokharel said the polarisation was targeted against the takeover. “The seven-party alliance is against the takeover that has further widened the gap between the people and the King,” he said. NC (D) spokesperson Minendra Rijal said that the situation had further complicated after the royal takeover. He claimed that the King did not cooperate with the four-party coalition, headed by his party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, which tried its best to conduct general election by holding talks with the Maoists. He also challenged the King and the Maoists to accept people’s opinions that are vented through election.

“It is meaningless to

talk about dialogue with the King when the latter has closed all doors for reconciliation.”

NC leader Bal Bahadur Rai, said the King should take initiatives for holding talks with democratic forces. He said that the alliance’s peaceful agitation would continue until democracy was restored.

However, joint general secretary of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Khem Raj Pandit, and central leader of the Rastriya Janashakti Party, Sarbendra Nath Shukla, said the King and the parties should always keep the door for dialogue open to resolve the crisis. — HNS