PM ready for sacrifices for consensus govt

KATHMANDU, Feb 25: Stating that only a consensus government can deliver peace and constitution, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Saturday said he is ready to make sacrifices for the formation of such a government.



Addressing an interaction to mark 91st birth anniversary of late Nepali Congress (NC) leader Mahendra Narayan Nidhi in the capital, the prime minister said formation of a consensus government is a must as all majority-based governments have failed to deliver concrete results. [break]



“There is a need for national consensus government. I am ready to make sacrifices for the cause,” he said.



The prime minister said political circumstances had forced him to lead a majority-based government. “We should not stand divided as ruling and opposition parties. We can do that once democracy is fully institutionalized,” he said.



Stating that the new constitution is not possible if the parties remain adamant in their respective stances on contentious issues, he said. “I urge all the leaders to think of the scenario if we fail to bring the new constitution,” he said.



Arguing that he alone cannot solve the problems facing the country, the prime minister said all he can do is to work honestly to accomplish the task of concluding the peace and constitution drafting process.



“This does not mean that I have failed in my duty. I am the one who has never failed in entire history,” he said.



Mentioning the progress made so far in the peace process the prime minister assured that the peace process would conclude soon. “There is no to concluding the peace process,” he said.



Speaking at the same function, Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Democratic) Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar said Madhesi parties are ready to vote for NC prime ministerial candidate if he promises to conclude the peace and constitution drafting process.



“We voted for Bhattarai with the belief that he would be able to deliver peace and constitution,” he said.



CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal urged the prime minister to take special initiatives for the formation of a consensus government.



“Peace and constitution is not possible without having such a government in place,” he said. Khanal said all the parties should work toward institutionalizing the achievements of the April movement.



Similarly, senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba criticized the reports of submitted by State Restructuring Commission (SRC), and argued for a referendum to carve out federal states.

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