GPK, Khanal, Prachanda, to meet

Himalayan News Service

KATHMANDU: Three separate meetings of the three major political parties — Unified CPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML — today failed to forge a consensus on ending stalemate regarding parliament functioning. They, however, made an understanding to hold a high-level meeting of top leaders of the Big Three — Girija Prasad Koirala, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Jhala Nath Khanal — to find a way out.

The high-level meeting will probably be held tomorrow. UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari has been entrusted with the responsibility of arranging the meeting. Leaders of the three parties hoped that the high-level meeting would find a solution. However, the UCPN-M and NC and UML have not budged from their stances. UCPN-M and UML, NC and UML and UCPN-M and NC met separately in the morning, afternoon and evening.

NC and UML said the UCPN-M had proposed a package deal to settle all issues, including the peace process, constitution-writing and formation of consensus government. UCPN-M said it was ready to deal with the cases in isolation though it wanted a solution in package to resolve all problems.

“We want to deal with the President’s issue at first,” said UCPN-M vice chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha after a meeting with the NC in the evening. The UCPN-M and NC teams led by Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Ram Chandra Poudel racked their brains for about two hours at a hotel in Kupandol.

“We took up all contentious issues with a view to preventing the country from confrontation and possible disaster. We have proposed to solve all problems in a package,” Shrestha said. “It is not true that we came up with a new proposal. We are ready to take up cases in isolation. The NC seems reluctant for a package deal.”

NC leader Poudel said, “First the House stalemate should end and the annual budget should be passed. Then we can settle other problems in the second phase.”

Earlier, a UML team led by Bharat Mohan Adhikari held talks with UCPN-M leaders at the residence of Maoist vice chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai in Shantinagar. The UCPN-M proposed a package deal, which included formation of new consensus government. The UML leaders briefed NC leaders about the Maoists’ proposal at NC parliamentary party office.

After the NC-UML meeting, NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel and UML leader Keshav Badal said they were unable to accept the President’s step of reinstating the then army chief as a mistake or talk about dissolving the present government.

NC chief whip Laxman Ghimire, who attended the meetings with UML and UCPN-M said, “Talks are heading in a positive direction. The two-hour talks between the NC and UCPN-M also focused on sharing views on constitution writing and other contentious problems.”