KATHMANDU: The High-Level Political Mechanism today rejected the statements of former king Gyanendra Shah,

former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and other leaders made against historic achievements on republicanism, federalism and secularism.

During the meeting, held at the Parliamentary Party office of the Nepali Congress in Singha Durbar, the leaders of the three major parties pledged to write the new constitution on stipulated time. UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal and NC Vice President Ram Chandra Paudel and Maoist Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said the three parties today expressed firm commitment to promulgate the new constitution by May 28.

“The HLPM, at its next meeting on Friday, will prepare a timeline to settle all the issues related to the peace process and new constitution one by one so that the May 28 deadline to write the new constitution could be met,” said NC spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC.

“We condemn the reactionary

elements’ attempt to overturn the historical democratic changes

and promise to negate all such

conspiracies by presenting a

united face,” read a joint statement signed by Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Nepali Congress Acting President Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal. NC Koirala chaired today’s meeting. UML chairman Khanal said UML will chair the next meeting.

The joint statement, however, does not mention the name of former king and former PM although it has clearly hinted at the statements made by them. Former king Gyanendra had said the monarchy had not ended, while Bhattarai had dubbed federalism, secularism and republicanism as “hastily imported political attires” by the parties.

“Nepal, as a result of the democratic movements of the past 60 years, has already moved ahead

on the path of federal democratic republic. We, the parties, are firm to complete the peace process on time,” the statement added. It

stated that the parties were concerned about the planned attacks against the historic achievements on secularism, federalism and republicanism.

The HLPM urged the people

to unite to fight against such

conspiracies.

The HLPM decided, in principle, to set up a State Restructuring Commission. “The modalities, mandate, deadline and members of the commission will be taken up at HLPM’s next meeting on Friday,” said NC’s Paudel. He added that the parties would name their experts to form the commission.

Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Dev Gurung from the UCPN-M, senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi and central member Dr Ram Sharan Mahat from NC and general secretary Ishwor Pokharel and leaders Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Pradip Gyanwali and Asta Laxmi Shakya from UML attended the meeting.