NC meet charts out future action

RSS

KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress has organised a discussion in the capital today to discuss the role played by the NC in Constituent Assembly (CA) and to determine the party's future course of action in the changing political context.

In the programme, organised by the party's Department of Central Policy and Training Foundation, discussions are held on the role played by the NC in the Constituent Assembly (CA) regarding constitution writing, concepts and stances of the party and what will be the party's future course of action on political situation developed after the dissolution of the CA.

Party's office-bearers of the central committee, central members, former lawmakers, candidates for direct election in CA, chiefs of sister organisations, among others, are present in the programme.

During the programme, central member and former lawmaker Gagan Thapa presented a working paper on "Stance taken by the NC in the CA regarding state restructuring" and another central member Ramesh Lekhak presented a working paper on "Role played by the NC in the CA."

The Foundation said that the working papers will be taken to public-level after publishing as a booklet by taking suggestions of experts on it.

At the beginning of the programme, President of the NC, Sushil Koirala said that the present crisis has come as the UCPN-Maoist is still not free from the mentality of capturing power.

Koirala said that the UCPN-Maoist always presented itself in an irresponsible manner and it had the mentality of capturing power from the beginning.

He further said that splitting of the UCPN-Maoist is only a strategy and the UCPN-Maoist will not split as it was only creating pressure towards them and plans to pass time.



Koirala added that he had urged Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Vice-chairman and Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai to be present being honest and responsible during the meeting recently held with them as the Maoists carried out work unilaterally and always betrayed others.

Senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba said parties could not come to a common ground because of the dual character of the UCPN-Maoist and they are responsible for the present crisis.

There is no condition of holding elections, the Maoists want to do it forcefully, but Congress should not only oppose, but should also show the way out, said Deuba.

As the election cannot be held now, the CA should be revived for a certain period, if the rest of the contentious issues of constitution are agreed and can go for referendum by making a draft by constitutional experts.

Vice President Ram Chandra Paudel said, "Maoists are not in favour of making constitution and want anarchy and therefore, we need a struggle for loktantra".

"Congress is also in favor of Madhesis, nationalities, women, dalits and minorities and for rights of the backward classes, and there is a need to warn against the Maoist attempts", he said.

Paudel also said provinces should be made on the basis of social goodwill, capacity and identity.