Fringe parties press Big 3 for crisis resolution

KATHMANDU: The fringe parties representing in the Constituent Assembly (CA) on Saturday asked the major three parties--UCPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML to break the political impasse that has intensified with the standoff in the prime ministerial election before August 23 by forging a national consensus among the political parties.Holding a meeting with the big three at the CA premises this evening, the fringe parties urged the former to find a solution to the crisis at any cost before the fifth round of voting of the prime ministerial election, which is slated for August 23.

According to Prakash Chandra Lohani, co-chairman of Rastriya Janashakti Party, the fringe parties warned of taking to a stern agitation including the boycott of the House if the big three failed to reach an agreement.

He said the three parties were urged not to take the country hostage to uncertainty.

However, the three parties reiterated their own stances regarding the present political political situation.

UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal told the media that the hosts of today's meeting pointed out the need of a consensus government and argued that the constitution-writing cannot be completed without it.

Emerging from the meeting, he said the UML too has been advocating for the consensus government. According to him, the fringe parties asked the big three to end the political crisis.

Maoist vice chairman Narayankaji Shrestha ‘ Prakash’ and leader Dev Prasad Gurung and NC vice president Ram Chandra Paudel and chief whip Laxman Gimire represented their respective parties, while the representatives of the fringe parties took part in the meeting.

The four rounds of voting in the election has ended up in a standoff one after another as both the candidates in the prime ministerial race --Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel--failed to poll a mandatory majority votes to be elected the country's executive head.

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