UML Secretary Shankar Pokharel informed that the third-largest party is for giving the provinces common names such as Koshi, Gandaki, Lumbini, and Sagarmatha that would be acceptable to all or mixed ethnic names such as Kirant-Limbuwan-Koshi province. [break]"But we are against naming provinces after singular ethnic community [such as Limbuwan, Magrat or Tamuwan]," Pokharel told Republica.
The party is also open to mandating the assembly of the province concerned to take the final decision with regard to naming the province.
He also said that the party is ready to be flexible on increasing or reducing a province or two provided that other parties are ready to name provinces on the basis of common identity.
According to him, UML leaders had proposed the seven-province model during the Hattiban talks last month and said the party sticks to same model.
Later in one of the talks, UML leaders including Madhav Kumar Nepal had floated the eight-province model as an alternative. According to Pokharel, in the seven-province model UML has proposed a province comprising Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari and some eastern hilly districts of the eastern region. "Later, we proposed a single province comprising Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts if it is acceptable to the Madhes-based parties," he explained.
On system of governance, the UML standing committee meeting ruled out any possibility of adopting executive presidential system with a directly elected president.
Pokharel said the standing committee meeting decided to try convincing other parties to accept the UML-proposed model. The party is for directly elected executive prime minister and ceremonial president elected by parliament.
He informed that if the party fails to convince other parties on the UML model, it will be ready to accept election of the president from an electoral college.
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