Kathmandu, Apr. 11:Leaders of major political parties today expressed mixed experiences of the first decade of multiparty democracy in the country.

The first ten years witnessed fruitful parliamentary exercises whereas the developmental activities were far from people’s aspiration, they said at an interaction “One Decade of Multiparty Democracy: Achievements and Challenges” organised by Foundation for Parliamentary Studies and Development (FPSD) here this afternoon.

Stating that lack of political culture, morality and clarity of vision and erosion of firm will were some of the shortcomings that appeared during the period, the politicians said the practice of value-based politics would help consolidate democracy by setting the nation on the path envisaged by the Constitution.

“In order to strengthen the democratic system, all the concerned political parties and leaders should work towards ending the malpractice currently existing in Nepalese political scenario,” former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said.

Though ten years is a very short period to judge the achievement of democracy in a country, with a long history of despotism, people developed a greater sense of their self-respect during the post democracy era, he said.

Referring to the recent political instability resulting from the changes in the government, he said that such “undemocratic” exercises would result in political aberration. “I am more doubtful of the highly ambitious NC leaders than anyone else who could pose threat to democracy culminated in by the Popular Movement of 1990.”

Bhattarai also informed that he would contest for NC President in the upcoming general meeting of his party.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal – Unified Marxist-Leninist and the Leader of the Main Opposition Madhav Kumar Nepal accused the Nepali Congress government of failing to address people’s problems.

“The anomalies and irregularities seen in the Nepalese society, politics and economy can lead to public distraction to the system itself,” he said. “If the system fails to fulfil people’s aspiration, they will seek for the alternative.”

Nepal said that there was a need of value-based politics to bring about a radical social reform in the country.

President of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa said that the current political and economic anomalies had overshadowed the achievements of the first decade of the multiparty democracy.

“There is a sharp difference between the constitutional norms and their practice that should be directed towards people’s welfare,” he said. “The cases of growing corruption, poverty, unemployment and violence have posed a question to the democratic system.”

From the chair, FPSD President and former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana said that the country was suffering from the crises of corruption, good governance, violence and human rights violation. He suggested the concerned political parties and leaders to bring about reforms by correcting the past shortcomings.