Kathmandu, June 1
Nineteen political parties, including Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML, Friday decided to organize nationwide protest programmes against the Maoist-led government and its announcement of new elections on November 22.
A joint meeting of the 19 parties, held at CPN-UML central office at Balkhu, also decided to demonstrate strength and organize mass meetings on June 8 at Khulamanch and demanded the resignation of the prime minister.
The meeting said that PM Bhattarai must step down immediately to pave the way for the formation of a national consensus government.
They charged that the prime minister created obstructions to a national consensus and stressed that the caretaker government would create an atmosphere for consensus politics.
A press statement released by the leaders said that CA election was only a unilateral decision of the PM and it would be unacceptable to others.
They blamed that the Maoists were creating a constitutional vacuum in the nation by dissolving the CA.
After the meeting, NC vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel said that the parties were preparing to organize big mass rallies and stage their show of strength on June 8 at Khulamanch.
He said that all the people, including civil society members, should be involved in the protest programs to save democracy, human rights and consensus politics.
CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal said that the parties decided to start the protest programme against the government and said that chances of holding new CA elections were remote.
He said, "Without national consensus and national unity government, the CA election is not possible. The prime minister is creating constitutional and political vacuum in the national politics. So, he should pave the way for consensus politics."
After the meeting, leaders released a joint press statement. NC president Sushil Koirala, UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Rastriya Janashakti Party chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa, Rastriya Prajatantra Party chairman Pashupati Rana, CPN-ML general secretary CP Mainali, Janamorcha Nepal general secretary Sadhya Bahadur Bhandari, Chure Bhavar Party chairman Keshav Mainali, Socialist People’s Party leader Hikmat Bahadur Deuba inked in the press statement.
Similarly, Nepal Sadhvabana Party-Anandidevi chairman Devendra Mishra, Rastriya Janabadi Morcha general secretary Kul Bahadur Muktan, Nepal Democratic Socialist Party chairman Upendra Gachchhadar, CPN-United Marxist chairman Lok Narayan Subedi signed in the joint statement.
Likewise, Samyukta Janamorcha Nepal chairman Dr. Bharat Lamichcane, CPN-United Revolutionary chairman Himlal Puri, CPN-M chairman Madhav Gyawali, CPN-MLS chairman Bishnuraj Aryal, Nepal Sukumbasi Party chairman Hukum Bahadur Lama and Chure Bhavar Rastriya Ekata Party general secretary Bhumiraj Niraula also signed in the press release.
The release said that the PM should understand the sentiments of interim constitution and pave the way for consensus government.
