Maoists likely to let budget pass

Arjun Bhandari

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda today met Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala, and assured the latter that his party would let Parliament pass the budget in a few days.

During their 30-minute one-on-one meeting at Koirala’s private residence in Maharajgunj, Prachanda told the veteran NC leader that his party would cooperate with the House to pass the budget either on November 5 or 6, according to sources.

The parliamentary session, which was adjourned due to NC’s Mahasamiti meeting, is scheduled to resume on Wednesday. Koirala had asked the Maoist boss to

let the House run smoothly, and help it pass the budget since the nation was reeling under financial crisis. The Maoists have been continuously obstructing parliament since August 7.

Koirala urged Prachanda to

call off their agitation and hold talks to find a way out of the political deadlock, which is adversely affecting the statute-drafting and peace processes.

Koirala is believed to have told the Maoist chairman that they would be able to resolve all outstanding disputes. It will be a “package deal” once the long-proposed high-level Political Consultative Mechanism is formed.

Prachanda agreed to mull over the NC leader’s plea, and assured to act on it after consulting his party colleagues. He also thanked Koirala for passing a resolution in the ongoing Mahasamiti meeting that urged the Maoists to call off their agitation.

But the Maoist boss remained adamant on the President’s “unconstitutional” move to reinstate the then Chief of Army Staff Rookmangud Katawal.

Though he wanted Koirala to ensure that it found a mention in the sankalpa prastav, the latter turned down the plea.

Prachanda, who declined to comment on what transpired during his meeting with the NC leader, rushed to party headquarters at Paris Danda after his tête-à-tête with Koirala.

Meanwhile, Upendra Yadav, president, Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, today proposed that

the unity government held the

key to an early resolution of the political crisis.

He urged PM Madhav Kumar Nepal to either take the initiative to form a broad-based government or pave the way for the same.