During its secretariat meeting on Monday, the Maoist Center had underscored the need for resolving this issue through political negotiations.

KATHMANDU, Dec 20: The CPN (Maoist Center), the main alliance partner of the CPN-UML, has expressed dissatisfaction at the rigid stance of the UML against the single transferable voting system to pick members of the upper house.
 
Sources said senior leaders of the Maoist Center have conveyed the message to UML leaders that the UML's rigid stance against the single transferable electoral system had caused inordinate delay in the formation of the upper house. "We are convinced that the formation of the National Assembly is a must to constitute the House of Representatives. As both the UML and the Nepali Congress are adamant on their respective stances, this has caused delay in the formation of new government," a senior Maoist Center leader said, asking not to be named. 

NC-led government has already forwarded an ordinance to President Bidya Devi Bhandari with a provision of a single transferable voting system for electing the upper house. NC leaders have publicly complained that President Bhandari has been deliberately sitting on the ordinance under pressure from the UML. 

During its secretariat meeting on Monday, the Maoist Center had underscored the need for resolving this issue through political negotiations. "Since the parliamentary seats under the proportional electoral system can be allocated only after the formation of the upper house, this issue needs to be settled at the earliest. If we keep aside our partisan interests, the single transferable voting system is best suited to pick members of the National Assembly in the country like ours," the leader further said.

Party insiders said top Maoist Center leaders are scheduled to hold a meeting with the UML leadership on Wednesday to resolve the issue of the ordinance. The leaders are expected to talk to UML leadership to resolve the National Assembly row through political negotiation and expedite the process of unifying the two parties.
 
Meanwhile, Upendra Yadav-led Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal (FSFN) has also stood in favor of single transferable voting system for electing the upper house. "Although our party has not made any official position about it, the single transferable voting system is the best system for forming the upper house," said the party's vice chairman Ashok Rai. 

 
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