Addressing an interaction organized by the Reporters´ Club Nepal in the capital on Sunday, Shrestha argued that the CA polls can be deferred to bring the agitating alliance onboard the poll process because going to the polls by ignoring agitating parties would push the country toward new conflict.
Shrestha made the remark after his parleys with the senior leaders of the Mohan Baidya-led alliance over the past few days. “We will have a new constitution and peace only if we decided to go to the poll by including Baidyaji. But if we went to the election without them, then the country will head toward fresh conflict,” said Shrestha.
Shrestha argued that Baidya-led alliance was in favor of joining the poll process as the latter has become flexible on many of its original demands. “They [Baidya-led alliance] should be brought to the election process even if it requires deferring the election,” he further said.
Shrestha argued that the Baidya-led alliance has already given up on some demands including scrapping of the 11-point political deal and 25-point ordinance, fully proportionate electoral system and the demand for settling all contentious issues of new statute before election. He also added that they were demanding roundtable conference only for some procedural things.
Arguing that Baidya-led alliance was demanding resignation of Chairman Regmi from the post of chief justice and postponement of the polls to April, Shrestha argued that Chairman Regmi should be ready to resign the post of chief justice to save the country from slipping into yet another conflict. “Chairman of the Interim Election Council Regmi should assist in creating conductive environment by resigning the post of chief justice,” he added.
He, however, clarified that the demand for deferral of the polls was his personal and not of his party, UCPN (Maoist). On the occasion, Shrestha also asked both the government and the High Level Political Committee (HLPC) to take fresh initiatives to hold talks with Baidya-led alliance to include it in the election process.
Related story
Ruling parties propose deferring polls yet again
