Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has kept all options open in order to build national consensus for which he has been constantly in touch with the senior leaders of different political parties. Only recently, Prime Minister Bhattarai personally visited the senior leaders of the major parties, including Sushil Koirala of the Nepali Congress and Jhalanath Khanal of the CPN-UML, and requested them to help build national consensus and resolve all pending problems of the country. Apart from this, he has repeatedly urged the political parties through various public forums to come forward for national consensus, which is necessary to conclude the fresh election for another Constituent Assembly.

However, the other parties, mainly the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, are against consensus politics and have opted for a confrontation. Soon after the announcement of fresh elections, these two parties along with some other fringe ones protested against the fresh election and have been demanding the resignation of the prime minister ever since. Their protest programmes and demand for the prime minister’s resignation are guided by ill motive to push the country towards anarchy, chaos and instability. In the first place there is no better alternative than a fresh election. Despite serious efforts made by the government to save the Constituent Assembly and its achievements, this was not possible because of the obstacles created by the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML. Thus, the government was left with no alternative but to declare an election. Elections are the best democratic exercise which alone can make democracy and people’s participation in the political process more vibrant and meaningful. Moreover, the government opted for fresh elections based on the spirit of the verdict of the Supreme Court.

Elections are the best option in the present political crisis, and all the political forces must extend cooperation to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election. Unfortunately, the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML are trying to obstruct the electoral process. This gives the impression that the NC and UML either have no faith in the democratic process or they are simply afraid of facing the people. It indicates their dwindling popular base. They, thus, want to further prolong the transition and reap benefit out of this situation.

Should the parties try to disrupt the election and further prolong the transition, it will be yet another betrayal to the country. So far as the question of an all-party government to hold the election is concerned, Prime Minister Bhattarai has kept all doors open to all the parties to join the government and collectively hold the election. Thus, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML need to stop their protest programmes and join the government which alone would contribute to consolidating the democratic process and help conclude the ongoing peace process.