PM consults opposition, seeks support to run House

UML leader, too, hopeful of running the House, hopes Thaiba killer will be arrested by Monday evening

Opposition NC and TMDP reiterate stance, PM positive on their demands

KATHMANDU, April 6: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday met with Nepali Congress and Tarai Madhes Democratic Party leaders to discuss ways to end the impasse in parliament.[break]

During separate meetings, PM Dahal urged the opposition leaders to help run the House smoothly and vowed to seriously discuss the issues they have raised.

Koirala, during a meeting held at his residence, said his party wanted the smooth running of parliament to ensure that the statute drafting process is completed on time.

He, however, urged the PM to implement his commitment made before parliament while addressing the nine-point demand raised by the NC. “Koirala assured me he would allow the House to run smoothly after I vowed to implement NC´s demands,” the PM told journalists.

TMDP leaders, during their meeting, said they wanted at least three issues addressed immediately. According to Sarvendra Nath Shukla, TMDP spokesperson, the TMDP leaders urged the PM to release “innocent” people arrested in Kapilvastu, re-interpret the term “major political parties” used while forming the Special Committee for Integration of Maoist Combatants and address the demands raised by police and army personnel who quit their jobs during the armed conflict.

Prime Minister Dahal told the TMDP leaders that he has already asked the home minister to probe the arrest of TMDP cadres in Kapilvastu and release the innocent. “The prime minister said that he would hold a meeting with coalition partners to address our demands and that the demands were genuine,” according to Shukla. Hridayesh Tripathi, Govinda Choudhari and Shukla attended the meeting at the PM’s residence.

According to a TMDP leader, the PM was hopeful of persuading UML leaders to allow the House to run smoothly.

Talking to reporters in Biratnagar, UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal said he too was hopeful that the House will meet on Tuesday without any disruption. “I have already talked to the PM,” said Khanal. He said he has given a Monday deadline to the PM to arrest the murderers of Prachanda Thaiba. “Let’s see, it´s already evening. I hope it will not take any more time to bring the culprit to book.”