KATHMANDU, Nov 2 - The seven political parties have arrived at a consensus to proclaim a republic from parliament but difference still persists on the date of enforcement. This led to adjournment of the special-session meeting, which was set to decide the fate of the Maoist proposals for a republic and a proportional election system, till Friday.

Following bilateral and multi-lateral parleys, Nepali Congress leaders agreed to proclaim a republic through parliament but leave the implementation till after the first meeting of the elected constituent assembly, in an attempt to avert a possible split among parties over the issue of republic.

All the parties in the Seven-Party Alliance agreed to the option but the Maoists insisted on immediate enforcement of the proclamation, a stance that was rejected by NC leaders.

The parties ultimately agreed to use up a night and a morning to explore a meeting point. "There was intense discussion on the issue today. And we agreed to continue deliberations till tomorrow to try to find consensus," said Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda. He said whether an understanding is reached among the parties or not, the session would conclude on Friday.

NC leaders agreed the option after intense pressure from the left allies who even threatened to come together during voting. "All the parties in parliament that accept a republic and a proportional system will come together during the voting in case it does take place," said Prachanda after a meeting of all the ruling left parties at the CPN (Maoist) parliamentary party office.

He said the left parties could go for a single proposal or vote for either the Maoist or UML proposal. "The technicality will be decided later." He, however, said the possibility of an understanding with the Nepali Congress has not been ruled out yet.

But UML leader Amrit Bohara said his party has not immediately accepted the Maoist proposal for unity among the leftists alone. "We cannot go against the proposal for a republic but we have emphasized unity of all the Loktantrik parties, not only the leftists," said Bohara.

The Maoists initially wanted the parliamentary session prorogued Thursday but they accepted a request by UML and NC leaders to prolong the session by a day to avert a division of votes among the parties in the SPA.

"It was postponed till Friday through all-party consensus," said Speaker Subas Nembang.

He said if no consensus is reached by Friday, the proposals tabled by the Maoists and the amendment proposal tabled by the UML, National People's Front and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party will be put to a vote.

"As per our practice, the amendment proposal will be presented turn by turn before the main proposals," said Nembang. He said a common proposal also can be prepared if the House demands a merger of the main proposal and amendments.

"But the Maoists continue insisting that the interim parliament must proclaim a republic," Jhala Nath Khanal said, adding, "We couldn't see any space for consensus." He said the parties are likely to go for a vote tomorrow.

There was no serious discussion on the issue of electoral system Thursday.

Members kept on discussing till late evening, until their leaders agreed to postpone the session till 11 am Friday.

View/Share this post only

KATHMANDU, Nov 2 - In a dramatic turn of events, the special session of the Interim Legislature-Parliament which resumed Friday evening to resolve the deadlock created by the Maoist motions seeking immediate declaration of a republic through the House and adoption of a fully proportional electoral system for the CA polls has been adjourned till 2 pm Sunday (Nov 4).

As soon as the House resumed its special session at around 8:30 pm following half an hour recess, Speaker Subas Nemwang announced that the House had been adjourned till 2 pm Sunday “as the concerned ministers were yet to respond to the Maoist motions and the amendment motions tabled by the CPN-UML.”

The special session of the House was adjourned till Sunday afternoon as the Maoist leaders sought more time to hammer out a consensus on the Maoist motions and the amendment motions tabled by the CPN-UML, it is learnt.

As a middle-ground solution, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML had jointly proposed to “proclaim a federal democratic republic through the House and implement the proclamation through the first sitting of the elected Constituent Assembly with the commitment to hold the CA polls within the year 2064.”

“But the Maoists rejected the proposal and insisted on the immediate implementation of the republic proclamation,” NC Vice President and peace and reconstruction Minister Ram Chandra Paudel said.

“The CA polls are simply not possible if the king remains at the same position as now,” sources quoted Maoist Chairman Prachanda as telling the NC and UML leaders, demanding more time for discussions among the partiers that led to the adjournment of the House till Sunday.    

Earlier this evening, the interim parliament resumed its special session after several rounds of discussions among the leaders of the major political parties. 

As an all-party meeting held at the Maoist Parliamentary Office Friday afternoon failed to reach a consensus on the Maoist motions, it was speculated that the issue would be decided through a vote in the House.

But the voting too was cancelled at the last hour and the House was adjourned so as to avoid voting and reach an agreement on the Maoist and UML motions through dialogue among the parties before it resumes on Sunday. 

Taking part in the debate on the motions, the parties stuck to their stances much like the previous days.

In today’s sitting of the House, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ananda Prasad Dhungana, CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, CPN-Maoist Chief Whip Janardan Sharma put forward their party’s views defending their respective positions on the motions registered at the interim parliament.

Addressing the House, NC Chief Whip Dhungana defended the party’s stance stating that it had to keep its promises and the commitments made to the Nepali people. However, he said that the party was not against the declaration of a republic or the PR system.

"We had suggested passing a commitment proposal through the parliament to declare a federal democratic republic which would be implemented after the CA elections," he said.

Dismissing the charges that the party was against the PR system, he said, "The party had also accepted mixed system where 50 percent of seats would have been elected on PR basis.”

Similarly, UML Chief Whip Pandey reiterated that the party’s amendment proposal was aimed at strengthening the seven-party unity by bringing together all the parties.

Pandey added that the UML was firm on its stance to usher in a republic in the country.

Maoist Chief Whip Sharma also defended his party’s proposals saying the passing of the proposals would guarantee a democratic republic and the successful holding of the CA polls.

View/Share this post only

KATHMANDU, Nov 2 -

The top leaders of the major parties are busy holding discussions as part of the last-ditch efforts to reach an agreement to avoid voting in parliament over the Maoist motions for the declaration of a republic through the House and adoption of a fully Proportional Representation (PR) based electoral system for the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections.

The top leaders of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist are holding consultations at the Maoist Parliamentary office in Singha Durbar. NC Standing Committee president Sushil Koirala, NC Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel and Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Maoist Chairman Prachanda, senior leaders Babu Ram Bhattarai and Krishna Bahadur Mahara, and UML leaders Bam Dev Gautam, Jhal Nath Khanal and Amrit Kumar Bohara, among others, are present in the meeting.

The NC is stressing on the declaration of a republic through parliament but implementation of the declaration only through the first meeting of the elected CA, in an attempt to avert a possible split among the parties over the issue of republic.

However, the Maoists are stressing on the implementation of the republic declaration ahead of the CA elections, sources said.

If the leaders are unable to make headway, the Maoist motions will be put to a vote.

As the UML has agreed to go for a republic, it is trying to convince the NC for the same, UML leader Amrit Kumar Bohara said.

Likewise, the leftist parties held separate consultations so as to get a majority in support of the Maoist motions.

The Maoists and UML leaders held discussions at the UML parliamentary party office today. The leftists intensified their separate consultations after the agenda of republic and PR is likely to get dismissed due to the lack of support from the NC.

Likewise, the Maoist, CPN-UML and Jana Morcha Nepal also held a meeting at the Jana Morcha parliamentary party office. The meetings were focused on convincing the leftist parties to vote in favour of the Maoist demands.

UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal held talks with Jan Morcha President Amik Sherchan and Unity Centre Mashal General Secretary Narayan Kaji Shrestha. 

View/Share this post only

View/Share this post only

View/Share this post only

View/Share this post only

View/Share this post only

View/Share this post only