Maoist Vice Chairman Narayankaiji Shrestha met Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepali Congress (NC) Parliamentary Party Leader Ram Chandra Poudel and UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal separately Saturday and discussed the political deadlock.
During the talks, Shrestha proposed resolving the protracted crisis by striking a "deal in package", which means "correcting the president´s move" through a joint resolution in the legislature-parliament and formation of a Maoist-led national unity government.
"I proposed both options: ending the political deadlock through correction of the president´s move and, along with correction of the presidential move, formation of a national unity government to write a new constitution and take the peace process to its logical end," Shrestha told myrepublica.com.
According to Shrestha, NC leader Poudel said the NC wanted talks only on ending the house deadlock, while Khanal agreed to talks in their entirety.
Shrestha also met PM Nepal at the latter´s official residence. "My primary purpose was to learn about his health condition," he said, "But we also talked about the crisis. He congratulated us on the peaceful protests."
According to the prime minister´s press advisor, Bishnu Rijal, the parties are yet to reach any specific agreement, though talks have begun. "The parties have agreed to speed up talks to end the deadlock," said Rijal.
The Nepali Congress and UML and the UCPN (Maoist) are likely to hold bilateral and trilateral parleys from Sunday.
Wrapping up its two-week protest, the Maoist party Friday issued a November 20 deadline to the ruling parties to meet its demands.
Dahal meets Bijukchhe
Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal met chairman of Nepal Workers Peasants Party Narayanman Bijukchhe at the latter´s residence in Bhaktapur Saturday afternoon and sought support for the ongoing Maoist protest and demand for "civilian supremacy". However, Bijukchhe advised Dahal to let the budget pass in parliament as that would also pave the way for the formation of a Maoist-led government.
"Pay heed to people´s daily life and necessities," Bijukchhe told Dahal when the latter requested him to cooperate with the Maoists´ ongoing protest. Bijukechhe also told Dahal to seek assistance from fringe political parties for a Maoist-led government.
During the talks, Bikukchhe expressed concern over the Maoists´ ethnicity-based federalism and said it could disrupt social harmony. "He (Dahal) told me the proposal is being considered at the party," Bijukchhe said.
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