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PM appeals for consensus
- Futile attempt to save chair: parties
KATHMANDU, JAN 13 - Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa today appealed to the parties to join hands with the government within the framework of the agenda given to the parties by the king during the recent audiences.
Prime Minister Thapa, who has failed to incorporate other political parties in the government even after eight months of persistent efforts, also urged the parties to build consensus on the king’s agenda.
"I call upon them once again to play a role in building national consensus respecting the will of the king, people and the international community and to utilise the opportunity opened up by the king’s new initiatives," Thapa said in his statement.
"Since the issues raised by the king represent the nation’s agenda in the present context, it becomes the responsibility of all the concerned to act accordingly," Thapa said, adding that the government was always sincere about reaching a national consensus.
The king, during his separate audiences granted to the leaders of the political parties in the past two weeks, proposed a seven-point agenda and sought their views on that. The points include: corruption control, good governance, solution to Maoist problems, elections, all-party government and national consensus.
Admitting that there were some hurdles in smooth functioning of the constitution at present, Prime Minister Thapa claimed that election was the only way out of the present political imbroglio. "So, the government has given topmost priority to holding elections at the earliest," Thapa said, adding, "There is no viable constitutional, political or practical alternative to it."
The agitating political parties have termed the prime minister’s call for co-operation a new tactic to consolidate regression and an attempt to prolong his tenure. Nepali Congress leader Ramchandra Poudel said, "since a solution is impossible without activating the constitution, such a futile attempt made by prime minister is meaningless until the king readies himself to limit within the constitutional framework."
The CPN-UML spokesman Pradip Nepal said it was a meaningless appeal made by a prime minister who does not have a backing of a single political party. " We have not taken it seriously," he added.
Lila Mani Pokharel of People’s Front Nepal also termed it meaningless appeal. "It is an attempt to cover up the regressive steps showing fake seriousness towards the country," he said.
Prime Minister’s own party—Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP)— however, termed the prime minister’s statement an attempt made to take advantage of the parties’ delay in arriving at a consensus on the king’s agenda. "Thapa is trying to cash in on the king’s agenda as his own after knowing that the king wants an all-party government," said Roshan Karki, RPP spokesperson.Posted on: 2004-01-14 04:21
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