Kathmandu: Nepal interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Saturday held her first-ever direct meeting with top leaders of the country’s major political parties to discuss the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 5 next year.
Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) [CPN (UML)] Chairperson KP Sharma Oli, and Nepali Communist Party Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal reached the Prime Minister’s official residence to discuss the matter.
Although the leaders had earlier met during a meeting facilitated by President Ram Chandra Paudel on Tuesday, this was the first time Prime Minister Karki held a direct meeting with them. All three leaders are former prime ministers.
With major political parties – particularly the CPN (UML) and Nepali Congress – expressing concerns over the electoral environment, citing the law-and-order situation, and their leaders filing writ petitions at the Supreme Court seeking restoration of the dissolved House of Representatives, the latest meeting was convened amid heightened political tension.
Following the meeting, former Prime Minister Deuba told journalists that all political parties were ready to participate in the elections scheduled for March.
“However, a conducive environment for the polls has not yet been prepared,” he added.
Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel, who also serves as the government spokesperson, said all three leaders expressed readiness to go to the polls.
He told journalists that even former Prime Minister Oli, whose party has been demanding restoration of the dissolved lower house, expressed willingness to participate in the elections while calling for the creation of a conducive environment.
“The Prime Minister assured the leaders that the government will ensure a suitable electoral environment by improving security and other conditions,” Kharel said.
Kharel also had held separate meetings with these three leaders on Friday.
Among the parties, the CPN (UML) has been expressing doubts about the government’s seriousness in holding the polls on time, criticising the current government and claiming it was formed in violation of the constitution.
The Nepali Congress has formally decided to participate in the elections through its Central Working Committee but has also emphasised the need for a conducive electoral environment.
The Nepali Communist Party, formed after the merger of the erstwhile CPN (Maoist Centre) and CPN (Unified Socialist), among others, has been advocating for holding the elections as scheduled.
According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Prime Minister Karki welcomed the commitment expressed by the political leaders to participate in the polls.
“The government will ensure an environment for free and fair elections,” she said.
(IANS)
