While on Tuesday he held meeting with the top leaders of the CPN-Maoist, Deuba held a separate meeting with Chairman of Federal Socialist Party (FSP) Ashok Rai on Wednesday. [break]
According to NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi, who was present during Deuba´s meeting with Rai, Deuba urged Rai to participate in the CA election and help draft a new constitution. He also assured that parties represented in the High Level Political Committee (HLPC) would try to address all their political concerns to create an environment for them to participate in the election process.
On the occasion, Rai told Deuba that his party had never announced to boycott the election process. “We want our demands met first. We have never told that we would boycott elections,” Nidhi quoted Rai as saying.
Rai´s FSP has demanded dissolution of the Regmi-led government, 601-member new CA with same number of seats under the First Past the Post and proportional electoral system and scrapping of the 11-point political deal and 25-point election ordinance. It has also demanded that Nepali citizens living abroad be allowed to vote in the election.
Earlier on Tuesday, Deuba had held a meeting with CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya and urged him to participate in the CA election.
Deuba made the request during his meeting with Baidya at the latter´s residence in Dhapasi. During the 50-minute long meeting, Deuba urged Baidya to participate in the election for the good of both his party and of the country. “Election is a must to draft a new constitution. This will also provide you an opportunity to renew the contact with the people,” Deuba told Baidya. While Baidya was accompanied by party General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, Deuba was accompanied by his party colleague Bimalendra Nidhi.
Allaying Baidya´s concern, Deuba had also told Baidya that the government had taken no decision to go to the polls without participation of CPN-Maoist. “It is meaningless to hold talks with the government as the government is reluctant to scrap the 11-point political deal and 25-point ordinance,” Baidya had told Deuba.
Deuba had tried to convince Baidya saying that changing the government at this crucial hour would only thwart the election process. “But we are ready to address your concerns other than those relating to changing the government. You can also be part of the HLPC. We can discuss all your issues there,” Nidhi quoted Deuba as saying.
On the occasion, Baidya had told Deuba that his party had not yet decided whether to boycott or participate in the election. “I am not in position to say if we would participate in the polls. I will put this matter before my party for discussion,” Baidya had told Deuba. Deuba also plans to hold a meeting with Chairman of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Nepal Upendra Yadav to persuade him to join the election process.
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