Sets general convention for January 7, 2017
KATHMANDU, July 8: CPN (Maoist Center), a major ruling coalition partner in the CPN-UML led government, has decided to lobby for forming a consensus government under its own leadership.
A politburo meeting of the party on Thursday has, however, kept an option open of joining such a government led by any other party that manages to secure a broad consensus.
Reiterating that consensus government has become a must to accomplish national tasks, including constitution implementation, addressing Madhes agitation, holding elections, concluding the peace process and expediting the reconstruction process.
“We have reached a conclusion that a national consensus government has become urgent to accomplish tasks of national importance. The party meeting has decided to lobby for forming such a government under our own leadership or someone else's,” Maoist leader Hemraj Bhandari told Republica after the meeting.
The decision of the party comes after some influential CPN (Maoist Center) leaders pressed the party leadership to quit KP Oli-led government arguing that it was dragging its feet on the implementation of 9-point agreement reached between the two ruling parties.
Earlier in May, the UML managed to retain Maoists support to the coaltion government signing a nine-point agreement, which included a pledge to amend the Truth and Reconciliation Act, addressing Maoist's concerns about other insurgency era cases and bringing the agitating Madhesi and other indigenous parties on board.
Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that, despite the decision, the party would not immediately pull its support to the present government, according to party leader Devi Khadka.
According to some party leaders, they have asked the party leadership not to take immature steps as in the past for toppling the government.
Meanwhile, the CPN (Maoist Center) has decided to hold a general convention on January 7, 2017. According to party spokesperson Pampha Bhusal, detailed programs of the party general convention will be finalized during the organizing committee meeting scheduled for August 18.
The party plans to conclude village and municipal conventions by mid-September, district convention by mid-October and provincial convention by mid-November.
Maoist Center to lobby for directly elected executive Prez
