Top leaders agree to call CA meeting in a fortnight
The much awaited meeting of the top leaders of the ruling coalition
partners concluded on Friday, agreeing to call the first meeting of the
Constituent Assembly in a fortnight.
The first meeting of the top leaders of the ruling coalition after the
April 10 polls was held at the Prime Minister's residence today morning.
However, the Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi), one of the constituents
of the seven-party alliance (SPA), stayed out of the meeting due to
internal party wrangling.
As per the interim constitution, the first meeting of the CA, which is set
to abolish monarchy and declare Nepal a republic, is to be convened within
the next 20 days with the Election Commission publishing the final results
of the election yesterday.
Apart from suggesting the Prime Minister to call the first sitting of the
CA within May 25 to 29 after consulting with all the political parties
both within the SPA and outside, the meeting also decided to constitute a
taskforce of top leaders to submit its recommendation on pressing matters
that includes power sharing in the new government, declaration of the
country as a republic and prepare the working procedures and agenda for
the first CA meeting, and nominating 26 CA members, according to Nepali
Congress leader Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, one of the participants of the
meeting.
He told Nepalnews.com that the taskforce will also recommend how to
enhance cooperation among the parties and also accommodate new parties
like Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) and other Terai-centric parties in
future meetings.
The taskforce constitutes Ram Chandra Poudel and Bimalendra Nidhi of NC;
Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Krishna Bahadur Mahara of CPN-Maoist; Jhala Nath
Khanal and Bhim Rawal of CPN-UML; C.P Mainali of CPN-ML, Lila Mani
Pokharel and Ghanashyam Sharma of People's Front Nepal and Prem Suwal of
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP).
The taskforce would start its work from today but it hasn't been given a
fixed timeframe to submit its report. Dr Mahat said the next meeting of
the top leaders of the seven parties would take place soon after the
taskforce submits its report.
Maoist chairman Prachanda, his deputy Dr Bhattarai and top leaders of the
six parties were present in the meeting.
While the meeting was in progress inside Baluwatar, physically disabled
people had demonstrated outside the gates asking that one of its
representatives should be in the list of 26 CA members to be chosen by the
cabinet.
And interestingly, before entering inside the meeting venue for the
discussion, CPN (ML) general secretary C.P Mainali told media persons
present there that to assuage the present crisis the parties should also
give a thought to the option of making King Gyanendra the first president
of the republican Nepal. nepalnews.com ag May 09 08
