The organizers have invited top five leaders each from the three major political parties -- UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML -- to attend a function to be held from October 23 to 26.[break]
NC leaders, however, have decided not to leave the country in view of the long-standing political deadlock.
Inter-party talks are likely to be deferred as the leaders will leave the country the same day the prime minister is scheduled to return from India visit.
According to UML standing committee member KP Sharma Oli, who is coordinating the team in Nepal, those who are planning to visit Cambodia include Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya and Krishna Bahadur Mahara from the UCPN (Maoist), and Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Oli, Ashok Rai and Bhim Rawal from the UML.
According to Oli, Upendra Yadav of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum and CP Mainali of CPN (ML) will also attend the function.
NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, who has also been invited, said they will not leave the country at such a critical juncture. “We have decided to stay in the country,” Mahat told Republica.
Earlier, leaders from all the three major parties had decided to inform the organizers about their inability to attend the function. Mahat had drafted a joint letter on behalf of the parties but later the Maoist and UML leaders decided not to cancel the trip.
“Leaders from all the three parties had earlier agreed to cancel the trip and I had drafted the joint letter accordingly but they changed their decision,” he said.
But Oli said there is no point in canceling the trip. “I don´t understand why they decided to cancel the trip as lesson learnt there could be significant with regard to concluding peace process,” Oli told Republica.
Sources said Speaker Subas Nembang held a meeting with Maoist Chief Whip Dev Gurung, NC Chief Whip Laxman Ghimire and UML Chief Whip Bhim Acharya and expressed his concern over the leaders plan to visit Cambodia at such a critical juncture. “The three chief whips were also against the leaders´ decision to go on a trip,” the sources said.
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