Stating that strong grounds for accomplishing the twin tasks are yet to be prepared, the third-largest party in the CA has said, if the current situation persists, the country may be pushed into a quagmire of anarchy and dictatorship.[break]
Holding the ruling UCPN (Maoist) and the government responsible for the delay in advancing the peace process and constitution writing, the party has asked the prime minister to step down.
"This government has not only remained reluctant to expedite the tasks of peace and constitution but has also backtracked from the [November 1] seven-point agreement," said UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal presenting his political paper at the party´s National Representatives Council meeting under way in Kathmandu. "This government has lost its relevance. Therefore, it must be dissolved without further delay."
Khanal, who had led a coalition government with Maoists, has been severely criticizing Maoist leaders saying that the Maoist party can not become a trusted partner as it has yet to renounce the path of violence. He has repeatedly mentioned in his paper that the Maoists have still not relinquished their policy of capturing the state power through force and imposing a dictatorship in the country.
Khanal laid out four major political trends in the country. He has described the UCPN (Maoist) as representative of the radical leftists with anarchist tendency. "This party opted to sign the 12-point agreement and to join peaceful movement only after it failed to establish one-party dictatorship and totalitarian regime through an armed insurgency," Khanal said. The UML chairman has also accused the Maoists of having dual policy with regard to peace and constitution.
He has said that Nepali Congress (NC) represents status quo and bourgeois liberalism. Khanal, however, said the UML should closely work with the NC. "We have to support this force [NC] because of the role it has played in favor of democracy and establish a close alliance with it," he said.
Khanal has described his own party, the CPN-UML, as the principal representative of democratic revolutionary trend.
He said Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal and some other groups and individuals lead reactionary and regressive elements.
According to him, there is a fourth trend that promotes regional, separatist and ethnicity based elements that work against a strong and prosperous country.
"Some Madhes-centric political parties and other regional and ethnic groups and individuals represent this trend," Khanal said.
Intra-party feud weakened both the UML govts
Khanal has conceded that the two UML-led governments of the past - first one led by Madhav Kumar Nepal and the second coalition under Khanal -- failed to deliver due to intra-party disputes. "Both governments failed and were unseated due to misunderstandings and contradictions within our own party," Khanal´s paper said.
"The CPN-UML´s position would have been further strengthened had we succeeded to utilize those opportunities and managed to deliver peace and constitution."
The paper has repeatedly stated that the party failed to play an effective role in national politics as it remained a divided house from the top to the grassroots level.
Referring to the indefinite general strike called by the Maoists demanding resignation of Nepal in 2010, Khanal´s paper applauded Nepal-led government for foiling the "Maoists´ attempt to establish dictatorship in the country."
He said, "Had the party, the then government and the people jointly not foiled the Maoists´ attempt, the ongoing peace and constitution writing processes would have been seriously imperiled."
Khanal has criticized the party´s Vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam for leading a group of 60 UML leaders to seek Nepal´s resignation and encouraging the Maoists at such a crucial juncture.
Khanal described the end of dual security system for Maoist leaders and sending the arms and armies deployed for the purpose back to the cantonments as some of the achievements of his government.
He said the Maoist leaders were hindering the peace process by setting forth new conditions such as the demand for increasing the number of combatants to be integrated and some key positions in the Nepal Army.
As for system of governance to be adopted in the new constitution, UML has reiterated its stance of directly-elected executive prime minister and a ceremonial president.
"While being firm on our official position, we are also open to discuss any other option if that can lead to consensus. But there can be no compromise in the basic democratic principles and values," the paper said.
Also, the party´s General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel tabled his report on organization and other chiefs of various departments presented their reports for deliberations at the three-day meeting. Over 900 party representatives from across the country are taking part in the gathering.
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