Kathmandu, November 17:

The standing committee meeting of the CPN-UML, held at the party headquarters Balkhu, today decided to call the 13th central committee meeting of the party from November 23-24. The meeting will formulate the political strategy of the party keeping in mind the upcoming constituent assembly polls.

The meeting also called upon all the parties to strictly follow schedules set by the historic November 8 agreement between the seven-party-alliance and the Maoists.

The meeting took serious note over the postponement of the much-awaited Comprehensive Peace Treaty signing. The signing was scheduled to be held on November 16.

“All the parties involved in resolving the conflict should be serious regarding implementing the agreements on time, otherwise the constituent assembly polls could not be held by the second week of June next year,” said a press statement issued at the end of the meeting. The statement said that decisions should be implemented according to the priorities set by the November 8 agreement.

Standing committee member Amrit Kumar Bohara said that the central committee meeting was called to discuss the latest political development and to formulate the future strategy in view of the constituent assembly polls.

“The party has a great responsibility of taking the nation towards democratic republic. So, the meeting would focus its discussion on the future plan of action and programmes,” Bohara said.

Meanwhile, a report from Baglung quoted local development minister Rajendra Prasad Pandey as saying today that the CPN-UML’s proposal of a referendum to decide about fate of monarchy failed as the other parties did not support it. He added that although referendum was most appropriate for the establishment of a democratic republic, other parties did not support it due to threats from the Nepali Congress.

Pandey, who arrived here yesterday to participate in the Ghumte Festival that started here today, was speaking at a press conference in Baglung Bazaar. He added that conducting constituent assembly polls within the given time frame was not possible as the ongoing peace process between the state and the Maoists is too slow-paced.

Saying that the Maoists are continuing abductions and donation collection in violation of their agreement with the government, Pandey said Maoist activities could jeopardise the peace restoration process.

Yesterday, Pandey said at a programme organised by the Baglung DDC and Baglung Municipality that homework is being done to set up a city development bank here soon.