Addressing a function on Sunday, Poudel also asked the party rank and file not to cast any doubts over the possibility of holding fresh polls on time. “Election will be held in the stipulated time. If you want a specific date, the polls would be held on November 20,” he said.[break]
Poudel said NC would create the environment for polls and promulgate a democratic constitution. Poudel´s remark comes at a time when the Interim Election Council of Ministers has been seeking more time to fix poll date. Though all the four major political parties have agreed to hold the polls by mid-December, the government is in the mood to announce poll date only after all necessary arrangements are made.
Poudel asked the party leaders to go to the people with people-centric agenda for fresh polls. “If we want people in our favor we first need to understand what people want,” he said.
While acknowledging that NC had at times been swayed by the Maoist agenda, Poudel argued that the party was successful in thwarting the UCPN (Maoist)´s plan to seize state powers. He also argued that NC had foiled the Maoist attempt to promulgate an undemocratic constitution. He also claimed that the Maoists are not in favor of federalism.
|“Communism and federalism are contradictory concepts. There is no federalism in Russia and China,” he said, adding: “Maoists in Nepal have fuelled unnecessary conflict on the issue of federalism.”
Arguing that NC is committed to federalism based on identity and economic viability, Poudel said it is a pity that Madhes-based parties are relying on UCPN (Maoist) for federalism.
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