Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) and some other political parties, however, were for extending the taskforce´s term. Leaders from CPN (Ekikrit), Nepal Sadbhabana Party (Anandidevi), Nepa Rastriya Party and Nepali Janata Dal stood against term extension.[break]
Though the Maoist leaders remained silent at the meeting, they have said in public that there was no need to extend the taskforce´s term.
Maoist leader Dev Gurung, a taskforce member, said the remaining tasks need to be settled from the formal mechanisms under the Constituent Assembly (CA).
"It is not appropriate to extend the taskforce´s term while the formal bodies under the CA have remained inactive for long. The role of the taskforce is a sort advising CA Chairman Subas Nembang and there is no need of the taskforce anymore," Gurung told Republica. "We are for resolving the remaining issues through vote at the full house meeting of the CA instead."
Stating that the taskforce has successfully resolved around 140 of the over 220 disputes, NC and UML leaders have clearly stood in favor of its extension.
"It is an appropriate place for discussing and settling the disputes. We don´t think there could be any alternative mechanism to replace the taskforce," said NC arliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Paudel.
Similarly, UML leader Agni Kharel echoed Paudel.
Failing to take any decision, leaders agreed to hold the next 27-party meeting on December 16.
Some leaders in the mechanism believe that it is Gurung´s personal stance and not the Maoist party´s official line. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who heads the taskforce, has remained absent from taskforce meetings in recent days citing health reasons. Leaders said once Dahal attends the meeting, he might agree to term extension and can convince Gurung, who is seen as hardliner in the Maoist party.
Sensing that any decision at the meeting might go against the term extension, MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav proposed that the meeting be deferred for another day. "Since the coordinator of the taskforce Dahal himself is not present at today´s meeting, it is not appropriate to take any decision in his absence," a leader quoted Yadav as saying at the meeting. NC leader Paudel and UML chief whip Bhim Acharya, among other leaders, supported his proposal. Then the next date was fixed.
"Maybe some Maoist leaders including Gurung have felt that they can´t get their agenda endorsed from the taskforce and have lately stood against extending the term," said a taskforce member.
Officials at the Parliament Secretariat said the taskforce is the best option to resolve the disputes. "The decision to table so many issues for voting in the CA would not be a wise move," the officials said. According to them, the list can´t be forwarded to the Constitutional Committee (CC) of the CA as the task of dispute resolution doesn´t fall under CC´s jurisdiction.
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