Tripathi to head democracy panel

NEW DELHI: DP Tripathi General Secretary of Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party has been chosen as the chairman of the Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee.

A meeting of the NDSC held here today under the chairmanship of CPI General Secretary AB Bardhan, chose the NCP leader as the head of the NDSC.

The post of chairman was lying vacant after the death of communist leader Harkishan Singh Surjit. Tripathi is well-versed in Indo-Nepal relation and has played a proactive role to establish and strengthen democracy in Nepal for the last three decades.

The committee also expressed good wishes to the new government of Nepal in its effort to bring the peace process to a logical conclusion and to drat the new constitution, said Bardhan.

“We are with the people of Nepal and are supportive of whatever is happening in Nepal to bring the peace process to a logical conclusion and for the drafting of the new constitution,” Bardhan added.

When asked if they expected the UCPN-Maoist to join the current coalition government, the senior communist leader said, “That is for the Nepali people to decide.”

Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee was formed to build international support in favour of democracy in Nepal after the then King Gyanendra usurped power in 2005.