KATHMANDU, Aug 3: While concluding that the November poll would be affected if a deal with the dissident parties is not reached within a week, the big political parties represented on the High Level Political Committee (HLPC) have decided to exercise maximum flexibility on all issues except the demand of the agitating parties to defer the election scheduled for November 19 and change the current Khil Raj Regmi-led poll government.
A meeting of the HLPC held on Saturday afternoon at New Baneshwor also sent a fresh invitation to the CPN-Maoist led alliance of 33 various agitating parties to bring them on board the election process. “We have concluded that the November election would be affected if the negotiations process with the agitating parties is delayed for more than a week now,” NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula told Republica after the HLPC meeting held at its secretariat at New Baneshwor, Saturday afternoon. [break]
The HLPC meeting also decided to gear up the election campaign while keeping the door open for talks with the agitating parties even if there is no deal with them in the next one week. “The HLPC has decided to make earnest efforts to bring the agitating parties on board the election process. We are ready to compromise on all other issues except change of government, deferring the election now scheduled for November 19, and a mixed electoral system,” Sitaula said.
Leaders present at the HLPC meeting said the parties have agreed in principle to increase the ratio of proportionate seats in the new CA, increase the number of CA seats to 60 from the current 491, if required, and meet other demands concerning the election.
The parties have also agreed to work out issues related to fresh constituency delineations based on population changes if the commission formed earlier for this purpose failed to come up with specific recommendations.
NC President Sushil Koirala, who is leaving for India on Sunday along with General Secretaries Prakash Man Singh and Sitaula, has delegated authority to Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel and senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba to forge consensus with the agitating parties during his absence. “I wish to see an agreement reached with all the dissident parties before I come back home,” Sitaula quoted Koirala as saying.
The decision of the HLPC meeting on Saturday to send a third invitation to the CPN-Maoist led alliance came after top leaders of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML held separate meetings with Baidya on Friday and Saturday. Both Koirala and UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal have said that there is no alternative to elections scheduled for November 19.
A meeting of the Baidya-led alliance on Thursday had decided to sit for talks if the HLPC sent an unconditional invitation that also mentioned the names of all constituent parties of the alliance. “We have decided to send a third invitation to the CPN-Maoist and parties said to be affiliated with the alliance, to bring them to the talks table. The letter will be in line with the demands made by the alliance during meetings with leaders of various political parties,” said UCPN(Maoist) leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha.
Meanwhile, also on Saturday, NC senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba held a meeting with Madhesi People´s Rights Forum Chairman Upendra Yadav and UCPN(Maoist) Chairman Puspha Kamal Dahal likewise met Federal Socialist Party Chairman Ashok Rai to persuade them to participate in the election. Both Yadav and Rai have said that they will participate in the poll if their demands are met.
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