The CPN UML, one of the allies in the four-party government, Monday took Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to task for not taking sufficient steps to hold peace talks with the Maoist insurgents.

At the meeting of the Central Committee that began from today, most of the central leaders expressed concern over what they call the tardy pace of the government in pressuring the Maoists to return to the table.

“Most of the leaders who spoke during the meeting were particularly critical of Deuba because he was not active enough for the restoration of peace. The leaders were opposed to Deuba’s announcement to go for elections by the end of this year,” UML leaders told reporters following the meeting. They said the UML was not happy with the progress in the implementation of the 43-point Common Minimum Program.

UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal presented a 24-page political proposal at the meeting. Discussion will start on Nepal’s proposal from Tuesday. “The meeting will mainly discuss the current political situation of the country, the government’s performance and the Maoist problem and its solution,” Nepal told reporters at the UML central office, Balkhu.

The Central Committee denounced the killing of Bhoj Raj Bhatta, a district leader of Gorkha and Khim Bahadur Thapa, a member of UML’s Dhading district committee by the Maoist ultras.

Today’s meeting decided to hold the fourth convention of the Central Council on 18 February 2005 in Biratnagar. nepalnews.com mbk Dec 13 04