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Consensus still elusive
- Parties pass the buck to each other
KATHMANDU, AUG 31 -
It has been exactly two months since Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal tendered his resignation to pave the way for the formation of a new government. After the fifth debacle, the parties postponed the sixth prime ministerial election by 15 days to Sept. 5 —with a commitment to forge consensus and end the current stalemate. However, the reality is quite different: the parties have not convened on the issue since then.
Given the scenario, chances are slim that the parties would elect a new prime minister even on Sunday. Although all the major parties admit there has not been any effort to forge consensus, none of them is ready to take up the responsibility. The major parties-UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML pass the buck to each other for failure to hold serious talks.
Maoist Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said the NC and the UML are “refusing” to sit for dialogue despite repeated requests for the same. “Few days ago we had invited the NC and the UML for talks on the political deadlock, but they did not join the meeting,” said Shrestha. “UML leaders said that they were busy with the politburo meet and NC leaders did not turn up for the meet.”
However, the UML and the NC said the Maoists seem “less serious” about ending the political impasse. UML leader Pradeep Gywali stated the Maoists have been rebuffing their offer to discuss the base paper prepared by his party.
The Maoist party has its own pretext: the leaders say they are busy with the ongoing Central Committee meeting.
UML leader Gyawali concedes that the parties are underestimating the deepening crisis, which requires “urgent issue-base discussions among them.”
NC Spokesperson Arjun Narasingh KC dismissed the Maoist charge that NC is avoiding the meeting. “Although we are busy with the General Convention, we are ready for a dialogue anytime to forge consensus.”
It is unlikely that the sixth round of election would also produce a new prime minister as the UML and Madhes-based parties remain steadfast to refrain from voting. The UML-led ongoing effort to forge consensus has also failed to cut any ice.
The party’s document to forge the political consensus has failed to impress on both the Maoists and the Congress.
Posted on: 2010-09-01 08:35
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