Kathmandu, December 15
At a time of ‘preparations’ for local-level elections, the main opposition CPN-UML has put forth a new proposal. The party has proposed conducting elections for the federal Parliament, pointing that there’s no possibility of holding civic polls in the present context.
It should be noted that the Prachanda-led government on Wednesday registered a Bill in the Parliament for conducting local elections. A day after the move, the UML concluded that the possibility of conducting local elections is almost nil.
A meeting of the UML standing committee, held at the party office in Dhumbarahi on Thursday, concluded that holding three-tier elections within the next 13 months is impossible. On this ground, the UML is pitching for parliamentary polls.
The party concluded that the risk of the Constitution’s failure will be less if the government conducts federal parliamentary elections by leaving aside provincial and local elections, for now.
The UML hopes that even Madheshi Morcha will agree on conducting parliamentary elections first. A UML standing committee member said the party has entrusted party Chair KP Oli with the responsibility of reaching an understanding with other parties on the issue.
Conducting three-tier elections by Magh 7, 2074 (13 months from now on) is impossible. The government has been saying that holding local elections is impossible in the present context, the member said, adding: By registering a Bill on civic polls nonetheless, the government has ended the possibility of conducting the polls.
On the contrary, the risk of failure of the Constitution will lessen if we opt for federal parliamentary elections in the meantime, the leader said.
UML secretary and chief of the party’s publicity department, Yogesh Bhattarai, said the party has drawn the attention of the government towards conducting all three elections within the next 13 months.
The meeting, according to Bhattarai, also decided to intensify the movement against the government-sponsored Constitution Amendment Bill.
The party has also requested the government to create an environment for all-party consensus for upcoming elections by withdrawing the amendment Bill.
