CJ Regmi 'unwilling' to head election govt without all-party consensus

A meeting between the top leaders of the four major political forces with Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi to convince the latter to head the election government Wednesday evening ended inconclusively.

Khil Raj Regmi

The leaders discussed at length the constitutional and political issues with Regmi surrounding thier proposal for an election government comprising of technocrats, but no agreement was reached as the CJ asked the leaders to guarantee that all the political parties agreed to accept his leadership and cooperate in holding the election within the stipulated time.

"We all agree on elections, but there are some political, legal and constitutional issues to be sorted out," Nepali Congress vice president Ram Chandra Poudel told reporters after the meeting, "We will have another round of talks with him."

UCPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, NC president Sushil Koirala, UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and Madhesi Front leaders Bijay Gachchhadar and Mahantha Thakur went to Regmi's residence after a discussion at Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's residence. NC leaders Poudel, Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML leader K.P Sharma Oli were also present in the meeting.

The top leaders are known to have become ready to make some changes in the draft on formation of new cabinet. They agreed to soften the 'conditions' after Regmi reportedly showed reluctance saying that he needed strong commitment from the parties to the elections before he would formally accept the offer. Nepalnews.com