Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 4:

The standing committee meeting of the CPN-UML, chaired by general-secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, today discussed in detail the political situation developed after King Gyanendra seized power on February 1.

The meeting, which was held for the first time after Nepal’s release from 90 days’ house arrest, stressed the need for mobilising party’s entire rank and file and forging a democratic alliance among all democratic forces for ‘total democracy’ based on a common political agenda.

Secretary of the central secretariat and standing committee member Amrit Kumar Bohara said the meeting discussed in details the proposed common political agenda being jointly prepared by seven agitating parties - Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Congress (Democratic), Janamorcha Nepal, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi), Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party and United Left Front - for the restoration of democracy and people’s sovereignty.

Another standing committee member Jhalanath Khanal, who headed the party as an acting general secretary in Nepal’s absence, presented a report at the meeting about the progress made for joint movement, internatinal relations and party activities after the February 1 move. The meeting thanked Khanal for providing the party an able leadership during the period.