Firstly, the main opposition party wants to see at least the regrouping of Maoist combatants (based on those joining the security forces and those taking the rehabilitation package) before May 28, the day the CA term expires. [break]"The regrouping process will also address the numbers and modality issue," said a top NC leader.
Secondly, once there is an agreement on regrouping, the parties should agree to form a national consensus government and Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal should resign before May 28 to facilitate that process.
This is exactly what NC parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Paudel conveyed to Prime Minister Khanal when they met today at the latter´s residence at Baluwatar.
Paudel demanded that the controversial seven-point agreement signed by the prime minister and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal should be scrapped immediately and Prime Minister Khanal should resign to facilitate the formation of a national consensus government.
"The seven-point deal is against the peace process, the comprehensive peace accord and a federal democratic republic. The seven-point deal, therefore, should be scrapped immediately," Paudel told media persons, emerging from the meeting.
NC leaders had conveyed their preconditions for CA extension to the Maoist leaders when they held a bilateral meeting last week.
NC leaders Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Ram Saran Mahat and Minendra Rijal and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai had held a bilateral meeting at Bhattarai´s residence at Kupondole last week.
According to an NC leader, Maoist Chairman Dahal had assured the NC that he would soon bring a proposal to conclude the peace process and requested them not to doubt his sincerity this time. "However, a week has passed and he hasn´t yet come up with an agreeable proposal on the peace process," said the NC leader.
On the issue of who should lead the national consensus government the two sides did not hold a conclusive discussion but the NC leaders told the Maoists that the issue of leadership could be discussed once Prime Minister Khanal resigns. Both sides have a claim on the leadership should Khanal resign.
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