KATHMANDU, JAN 06 - King Gyanendra has provided the political parties with a seven-point agenda and sought a wider national consensus among the parties on it, during his meetings with the chiefs of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) today.
During separate audiences that he granted to RPP Chairman Pashupati Shumshere Rana and NC (Democratic) President Sher Bahadur Deuba Monday evening, the king showed his readiness to form an all-party government as demanded by the parties but with a condition to fulfil the goals of agenda.
According to both Rana and Deuba, the king wanted consensus among the parties on the issues of national government, corruption control, good governance, election and Maoist problem, among others. "It is not a difficult task to build consensus as most of them are the issues nearly agreed upon by parliament during Deuba’s term as prime minister," Rana said.Rana also added that the king has expressed his will to form a government of national consensus. The RPP chief, however, did not elaborate whether the king wanted consensus only among the parties that represented in the dissolved parliament or among other small parties too.
"In my reading, the king has come to the conclusion that solution to present problems is possible only through an all-party government of any form," Rana told The Kathmandu Post after he returned from the palace.
He added that the king has reiterated his commitment to multiparty democracy during his over one-and-half-hours meeting with the monarch. "There is no room for doubting on his commitment," Rana said.
However, Deuba cast doubts on the king’s commitment. "He has always put sweet words during his meetings with the political party leaders but what is required today is implementation of the commitments," Deuba told The Kathmandu Post at his residence.According to Deuba, the king wanted consensus among the parties on his agenda. "There are no differences among the parties on the agenda nor is there any dispute over the future prime ministerial candidate," Deuba said. He said that he told the king, "I will accept if Madhav Nepal is appointed (as prime minister) and Nepal will also accept me."
He also assured the king that he could convince Girija Prasad Koirala, RPP and other parties too. "Koirala is my leader so I can convince him," Deuba claimed.
Meanwhile, Rana said that he would call party central committee meeting Tuesday to discuss the agendas set by the king today. NC President Girija Prasad Koirala’s meeting, however, was postponed for tomorrow due to delay in his flight from Biratnagar.Posted on: 2004-01-07 04:20

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