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Dahal off to Singapore, will meet ailing Koirala
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal before leaving for Singapore at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Monday.
KATHMANDU, NOV 16 - UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal made a dash to Singapore on Monday “for a meeting with his party’s sympathisers”, prompting speculations back home that something could be coo-king between Dahal and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, who is in the island city-state since Saturday for medical treatment.
Speaking to journalists at Tribhuvan International Airport, Dahal said he would be meeting Koirala. Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who accompanied Dahal on the four-day visit, said the trip was to take part in a pre-scheduled programme organised by Nepalis residing in Singapore.
In Kathmandu, top political leaders engaged in hectic parleys to find a common ground to end the protracted stand-off and the Maoists urged CPN (UML) to be flexible on rectifying the president’s move.
Maoist Vice-Chairman Babu Ram Bhattarai said, “We have sent a new proposal, which is being discussed among parties.” Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha met UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Keshav Badal and Yubaraj Gyawali on Monday.
“We cannot directly accuse the president,” Gyawali said. UML favours a joint resolution motion after the big parties reach consensus, he added.
Speaker Subas Nembang held parleys throughout Monday with UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leaders to forge consensus on resuming parliament so that the budget may be passed. Nembang also held separate meetings with the prime minister and senior UML leader K. P. Oli on Monday.
“I urged the prime minister that the government and ruling parties should expedite consultations for building consensus on lifting the blockade in parliament,” Nembang told reporters.
Dahal snubs Nepal
Kathmandu: Dahal snubbed Prime Minister Nepal, when the latter made an early morning phone call while at a mee-ting with the Speaker at the Prime Minister’s Official residence.
One of Dahal’s aides said the Maoist chief would return the call, but he never did. Instead, Dahal called up Oli to ask the latter to carry on political consultations with other Maoist leaders. “We will settle the ongoing row by Nov.21,” a source quoted Dahal. “We should conclude the row after I return from Singapore on Wednesday.”
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