Big 3 agree to form national consensus govt

By A Staff Reporter




Kathmandu, Nov 29, UCPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) Tuesday agreed to form a national unity government by extending the Constituent Assembly (CA) tenure for six months.

In a meeting held at Singha Durbar, the major political forces also inked a six-point consensus deal and said the parties would begin consultations to form the national unity government.

They also endorsed the report of the joint taskforce which recommended the 6-month extension of the CA tenure.

UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, NC president Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal, and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar inked in the six-point deal.

According to the deal, the parties will start political consultations to form a national unity government, the top leaders will meet once a week, the State Restructuring Commission will submit the report within two months, the parties will continuously monitor the implementation of seven-point deal, the Constitutional Committee will submit the calendar of constitution drafting within December 6 and the combatants will be regrouped within December 4.

After the meeting, UCPN-M vice-chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that the parties agreed to extend the CA tenure for six months and were ready to intensify talks for a national unity government.

He said that the parties were serious to implement the seven-point deal and inked another six-point accord to implement it.

The parties also reached a consensus to start a weekly meeting of top leaders to analyze the implementation of the seven-point deal, Shrestha said.

NC vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel said that the leaders decided to continue the peace and statute writing processes and extend the CA term for six months.

He said that the newly inked six-point deal would help conclude the peace process within the stipulated deadline.

Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Ganatantrik chairman and Minister for Information and Communications JP Gupta said that the parties agreed to conclude the first phase combatants’ regrouping within 4 December.

He said that the leaders also agreed to start a homework to form the national unity government through consensus.

CPN-UML vice-chairman Bam Dev Gautam said that the meeting centered on the direction of the Supreme Court and decided to extend the CA tenure by six months.

NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC said that the parties agreed to continuously analyze and examine the peace and constitution writing processes.