KATHMANDU, Jan 30: The Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA), a grouping dominated by ruling parties, held a mass meet at Khullamanch, in the capital, on Wednesday.
The mass gathering took place a day after the opposition parties, in what was seen as their show of strength, organized a similar assembly and rallies at nearby Shahidgate, marking the Martyrs’ Day. [break]
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, among other key leaders of the alliance, addressed the gathering.
Addressing the gathering, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal suggested that the opposition parties give up the ego as it will ultimately harm them. “It will cost you (Nepali Congress and CPN-UML) dearly if you don’t give up your egos at earliest,” he warned.
He also said that the FDRA coalition of the ruling parties was to address issues not vie for power. "The FDRA coalition will address issues not vie for power," Dahal added, "As you can see that this program has been organized to float our concerns not criticize opposition parties."
In the same program, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai reiterated that he was in favor of new Constituent Assembly (CA) elections in May/June.
Stating that opposition parties—Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML--were trying to avoid new CA elections said that the ruling coalition will compel them to join for elections. “We will drag them to CA elections.”
The PM who is also UCPN (Maoist) vice-chairman boasted that the road expansion bid under his regime was a successful move.
Mentioning that he was in favor of changes, Bhattarai claimed that he would move ahead with progressive changes and squarely blamed the earlier governments for pushing the country to this stage.
Referring to the Dailekh incident in which journalists were displaced fearing security, the PM claimed, “This government is the most committed one from the perspective of safety of journalists compared to earlier ones.”
Addressing the meet, Deputy Prime Minister and Madhesi People’s Right Forum (Democratic) Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar accused the opposition parties of being ‘anti-federalist’ and stressed that the alliance should remain intact until the promulgation of a new constitution based on identity-based federalism.
He also claimed that such a constitution would not be possible only through Constituent Assembly and asked the major opposition parties, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, to stop protesting against the government and step forward for a package deal.
Madhesi People’s Right Forum (Republican) Chairman Raj Kishor Yadav said the NC and UML are still holding orthodox ideas when the country has already become a republic and warned that political forces which are resistant to change will soon perish.
Rajendra Mahato, chairman of Sadbhawana Party, accused the major opposition parties of coming in the way of the country’s transformation to federalism by fuelling speculations that a federal structure would sour communal harmony and bring about disintegration.
Earlier, FDRA activists and leaders had taken out rallies from various places in the Kathmandu Valley before converging into the meet. The rallies had disrupted traffic movement at various road sections in the capital.
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