Dahal Stresses On Consensus

Kathmandu, June 15: The Unified CPN (Maoist) has called on other political parties to remove current political problems facing the country by building national consensus.
The prevailing political standoff will not see an outlet without political consensus, said the Unified CPN (Maoist) chief and urged other parties to come with open mind for consensus.
Addressing the mass gathering organized by the party at Khula Munch, Maoist leaders including Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Vice-chairperson and Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai made this request for building consensus.

    On the occasion, Chairperson Dahal urged the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML to come to a common point saying the country could not move ahead without consensus.
"There is still the scope and relevance of consensus among the parties," said Dahal, informing the public that he had talked to NC President Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML Chairperson Jhalanath Khanal to discuss the ways of moving ahead from a new perspective for consensus.
Arguing that federalism sans identity and constitution without federalism could not be possible, he said the Constituent Assembly (CA) was dissolved due to obstruction by the NC and UML.
The constitution could not be promulgated by any other process than the CA, he asserted. 'It would in no way be acceptable to frame new constitution through roundtable discussion and a commission'.
The Chairperson claimed that his party would not split at any pretext, adding that efforts are being made for unity within the party.
He urged the dissent Vice-chairperson Mohan Baidhya to come up with a proposal from the national cadres' assembly for party unity.
Maoist Vice-chair and Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai publicly beg apology on behalf of the Nepal government for not being able to deliver constitution through the CA on May 27, the deadline for the promulgation of constitution.
He also pledged to move ahead in future by learning from the past.
'I do not want to accuse any force for the non-promulgation of the constitution through the CA', he added.
There is no alternative other than to go for elections by forging national consensus despite legal and constitutional complexities, the Prime Minister said, calling for other political parties to facilitate environment for national consensus.
He further said that he was ready to resign from the post of Prime Minister to pave the way for national consensus and urged other parties to move ahead by forming national government.
Venting ire at what he called the efforts being made to provoke the President into bringing a catastrophe in the country, Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai said, 'If any force is hatching such conspiracy, beware it would not work. It could not be believed that the President would take such move'.
Addressing the mass meeting, party vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha accused the Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML) for the failure of the Constituent Assembly to issue new constitution.
He alleged the two parties of not agreeing to either go for consensus or for the process in formulating the constitution.
Shrestha explained that the government had to announce the election for a fresh CA as the last resort as these two parties also refused to accept the Maoist proposal to extend the CA term by imposing an emergency.
Maoist leaders Agni Sapkota, Hisila Yami an Sashi Shrestha stressed on federalism based on identity.
Dalit movement leader Padma Lal BK, Madhesi rights activist Tula Narayan Saha, leader of the Newa Movement Malla K sundar and general secretary of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Ang Kaji Sherpa also addressed the mass meeting.
Earlier, the party had held processions from Kalanki, Gongabu, Balaju and Maharajgunj areas.