One day after the Election Commission (EC) publicly invited the political parties and organizations to register their names with the EC within 30 days from Thursday for the municipal polls slated for February 8 next year, leaders of political parties have said that they will not follow the commission’s directive as a conducive environment for polls did not exist.
Talking to Nepalnews, spokesman of Nepali Congress (NC) Krishna Sitaula said that the NC will not register with the EC for the purpose of municipal polls.
“As the agitating political parties have decided to boycott the polls and initiate campaign for boycotting the elections, there is no relevancy of registering for the purpose of municipal polls,” he added.
Acting President of the NC (Democratic) Gopal Man Shrestha said that there is no question of registering with the EC for election purpose as the seven political parties have decided to boycott the polls actively.
General Secretary of the People’s Front Nepal Nava Raj Subedi told Nepalnews that the agitating political parties were not concerned with the elections as the main issue at present is the restoration of the full-fledged democracy in the country. “The parties already decided to actively boycott the polls announced by the royal government; they will not participate in any election process,” he added.
However Spokesperson of CPN-UML Pradip Nepal said that though the parties had decided to boycott polls, the meeting of the alliance of the seven political parties will decide about how to respond to the invitation of the EC.
Spokesperson of Rastriya Janashakti Party Sarbendra Nath Sukla told Nepalnews that the party is committed to its stance that the government should create conducive environment for mainstream political parties to take part in the elections for the success of elections.
He added that the central working committee meeting of the party to be held on Sunday will decide whether or not to participate in the elections and the future agendas of the party.
Commenting on the call of the EC, Chairman of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party Narayan Man Bijukchhe said the government fulfilled its formality by inviting for registration, but the political parties will move in the pre-determined schedule of the agitation.
He added that the meeting of the alliance will decide on the issue of registration as the partners of the alliance are moving with common agendas.
Wednesday’s meeting of the alliance of the seven political parties has decided to boycott the municipal polls actively and organize various campaigns to boycott it saying the election is an attempt to legalize the royal government which they call unconstitutional.