Baidya, fringe Maoist parties reject CJ-led govt

KATHMANDU, Feb 17: Four leftist political parties including the Mohan Baidya-led CPN-Maoist held protest rallies in the country´s major cities including the capital on Sunday against the preparations by the major parties to appoint the chief justice as the head of the government for holding new elections. CPN-Maoist leaders said the parties´ move is guided by foreign powers.



Addressing the rallies, CPN-Maoist leaders said they reject the parties´ plan and threatened stringent protests if the chief justice is appointed as the head of the government. The leaders said a roundtable of the political parties should find a solution to break the current political impasse and that the "syndicate of the four major parties -- UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress. CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front" has no authority to make such a whimsical decision under the pretext of breaking the impasse.[break]



Baidya led CPN-Maoist, Ram Singh Shreesha led CPN-Unified, Mani Thapa-led Revolutionary Communist Party and Matrika Yadav-led CPN (Maoist) participated in the rallies across the country.



Addressing the rally at the capital, CPN-Maoist spokesperson Pampha Bhushal said, "The parties on cue from their foreign masters are preparing to appoint the chief justice as the head of the government and our party will launch strong protest against such anti-national move," said Bhusal.



Similarly, CPN-Maoist Coordinator Matrika Yadav said the decision of the big four parties was unconstitutional as "the same person could not lead both the executive and the judiciary".



General Secretary of the Revolutionary Communist Party Mani Thapa warned of launching the ´third janaandolan´ if the major parties did not drop their plan.



Similarly, talking with journalist at Dharan, CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya said the major parties by agreeing to appoint the chief justice as the head of the govenrment are introducing a party-less political system in the country.



"Pushpa Kamal Dahal on cue from his Indian masters proposed to make the chief justice as the head of government and the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML are forced to accept the proposal because it originated in India."



He also said the agreement among the major parties is against the principle of separation of powers. "It will damage the judiciary as well," added Baidya. He said only a roundtable can give legitimate solution to the current impasse and the president should immediately call such roundtable.



He said his party´s street protest will be focus on saving national sovereignty and the issue of livelihoods of the people.

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