The ongoing central committee meeting of the UML has finally taken the decision not to join the new government possibly to be led by Maoists.

Acting general secretary Amrit Kumar Bohara, answering questions raised by members, said Monday that joining the government is secondary issue.

The political reports presented by Bohara for endorsement states that the most important task for the party is to engage in making a democratic republican constitution and bring the peace process to a logical conclusion.

Bohara said the party should play a pivotal role during the first meeting of the CA to declare the country a republic.

While Bohara said it Maoist intimidation and internal weakness of the party for the failure of the party in the recent polls, politburo member Bamdev Gautam said the UML was defeated in the polls because the party did not forge an alliance with the Maoists.

Similarly, Nepali Congress has set conditions for handing over the government leadership to Maoists.

The party asked Maoist to dissolve its paramilitary structures, surrender or destroy arms, hand over seized property to rightful owners and end excesses to win support for formation of new government.

The party also called for dissolution of people’s courts and the people’s government and an end to anarchic and violent activities of the YCL.

The party has not taken formal decision whether to join the new government but pressure continues to mount not to join the new government. nepalnews.com ia May 13 08