But leaders from main opposition parties Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML, at a three-party meeting on Wednesday, turned down the UCPN (Maoist) proposal outright.[break]
Prime Minister Bhattarai, Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Deputy Prime Minister and party Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha from UCPN (Maoist), President Sushil Koirala, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Ram Chandra Paudel from the NC and Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Bamdev Gautam from CPN-UML, among other leaders, held a meeting at the UML party office at Balkhu.
NC and UML leaders insisted that the contentious issues can be discussed only after the formation of a coalition government with the major political parties on board.
"We rejected any discussion on the proposal for a new election date and told them [Maoist leaders] clearly that we can take up the contentious issues only after forming a consensus government," NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula told reporters after the meeting.
CPN-UML Secretary Shankar Pokharel, who was also present during the inter-party talks, said that resignation of Prime Minister Bhattarai and formation of a consensus government are preconditions for ending the ongoing political stalemate.
He said there are political, constitutional and legal obstructions to holding elections and there was no point announcing yet another date for polls under the same circumstances. "This government can´t do that and only a consensus government can take the initiative for ending the constitutional as well as other deadlocks," Pokharel told Republica.
The present interim constitution, among other laws, needs to be amended as it doesn´t envision new CA elections.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha, they floated a proposal to discuss forging a consensus on the contents of the new constitution, the procedures for promulgating that constitution, issues related to elections and other contentious matters beforehand. "We have proposed a fresh start on various issues in their totality," he said.
The opposition parties have been claiming that the prime minister has no moral basis for continuing in office as he had already been limited to a caretaker status with the dissolution of the CA on May 28. As per the present constitution, one must be a member of parliament to be eligible for the post of prime minister.
The opposition parties had earlier boycotted meetings convened by the prime minister, accusing him of trying to run the government in a unilateral fashion and without any consent from major political parties.
Forging an alliance of 26 political parties, the NC and UML leaders had announced protest programs against the government but their agitation failed to gather any momentum.
Opposition leaders said that there was no point announcing a new poll date because no initiative has been taken for ending the political deadlock nor has anything been done to remove the constitutional and other legal obstructions. "The prime minister´s resignation and formation of a new government are basic pre-requisites as well," explained Pokharel.
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