A meeting of the top leaders of the ruling eight parties on Monday failed to take any decision on key political issues including the date for constituent assembly polls and amendment in the interim constitution.
The meeting has been postponed until Tuesday afternoon as “more homework is required” on the main agendas, leaders said.
According to Lilamani Pokhrel, vice-chairman of Janamorcha Nepal, there were differences among the parties on the CA polls date and the issue of republic. He said the meeting could not move on as the Nepali Congress, NC (Democratic) and Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi) failed to put clear views on those issues.
“These three parties that have been obstructing the parliament are confused about the main agendas,” he claimed but expressed hope that Tuesday’s meeting would come up with some decisions.
The eight-party meeting began two hours late at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar, at around 4:00 pm. Leaders were busy in internal meetings of their parties ahead of the top-level meeting.
Today’s meeting discussed the probable the election date, electoral system and the deadlock in the interim parliament. Prime Minister and NC president Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist chairman Prachanda, UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, NC (Democratic) vice-president Gopalman Shrestha, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party chairman Narayanman Bijukchhe, Janamorcha Nepal chairman Amik Sherchan, Bharat Bimal Yadav of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi), United Left Front leader C.P Mainali and some central leaders of the eight parties participated in the meeting.
The eight-party meeting on Saturday was inconclusive after differences grew on the UML’s proposal for proportional voting system.
The UML has reiterated its stance on proportional representation whereas separate meetings of the central working committees of the NC and the NC (D) today decided to go for mixed electoral system.