A joint meeting of the non-Maoist alliance held at the CPN-UML headquarters in Balkhu Friday decided to organize the protest rally at Khulla Manch on June 8. [break]The meeting took the decision concluding that Bhattarai first needs to vacate the post to pave the way for the formation of a national consensus government.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal said the prime minister´s “unconstitutional move” of announcing the date for fresh CA polls for November had prolonged transition period in the country. “The prime minister must acknowledge his unconstitutional move and vacate the prime minister´s office for national consensus,” he said.
The meeting has also appealed to the people at large to participate in the peaceful protest to thwart the Maoists´ plan to “impose autocracy and capture state power”. “We urge all to participate in the peaceful protests to steer the national politics toward consensus,” read the joint press statement undersigned by senior leaders of various 19 parties.
The meeting was attended by the top leaders of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Rastriya Janashakti Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, CPN-ML, People´s Front Nepal, Chure Bhawar Rastriya Party, Socialist People´s Party, Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Aanandidevi) and Rastriya Janawadi Morcha Nepal. Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi, CPN (Unified Marxist), Samyukta Janamorcha Nepal, CPN (Unified Revolutionary), CPN (Marxist), CPN-ML (Janasamajbadi), Nepal Sukumbasi Party (Democratic), Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekta Party, Nepal also participated in the meeting.
The joint meeting has alleged that caretaker Prime Minister Bhattarai “unilaterally” dissolved the CA even as there were other options to save the achievements made so far in constitution writing. The parties have accused the prime minister of making the “unconstitutional” move with a mala fide intention to capture state power.
The parties have claimed that the announcement of fresh CA election date was a conspiracy to prolong Bhattarai´s stay in power. “The unilateral announcement is also against the agreements reached between the parties in the past. This has pushed the national politics from the path of consensus to confrontation,” the joint statement added.
NC Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel told media persons that the protest programs are being organized to press the prime minister to forge consensus.
"Our meeting has concluded that a new national consensus government should replace the Bhattarai-led government in the spirit of interim constitution," he said. "The current constitutional and political deadlock should be resolved through national consensus."
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