"I want to announce right here that we are ready to make any kind of sacrifice if our flexibility helps create an environment for elections in Jeth [May-June]," Dahal said at a party function in Bhaktapur on Saturday. [break]"I appeal to the Nepali Congress and UML to come up with their proposals and we are ready to make sacrifices."
He said that if the NC and UML come up with some alternative proposals with regard to forming a new government his own party would exercise due flexibility.
Finance Minister Barshaman Pun of the same party, however, ruled out any possibility of reaching a consensus among the major political parties prior to the general convention of the ruling UCPN (Maoist) scheduled for the first week of February.

Maoist leaders. (Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
Pun argued that any agreement between the ruling and opposition alliances in a couple of weeks was unlikely, given that the opposition parties have already announced their protest programs and the ruling Maoist leaders were busy with their upcoming general convention.
Responding to queries by journalists in Dhading district, the finance minister said that there would be initiatives on the part of the UCPN (Maoist) to end the deadlock.
He said his party would initiate efforts for forming a national consensus government and hold fresh elections by mid-May.

Cadres in the function. (Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
Non-violence rally against animal sacrifice