Dahal for constitution through CA

KATHMANDU, JUL 13 -

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has claimed that the new Constituent Assembly elections were announced out of compulsion. Dahal, however, reiterated that consensus among the political parties was the only way to end the current political impasse.

As Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai insists on new CA polls in November as the only alternative, Dahal stressed the need for continuity of the consensus roadmap to complete the peace and constitution-making process.

Opposition parties Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML have declined to participate in the CA election announced by the incumbent government arguing that it was ‘unconstitutional’ and declared ‘unilaterally.’

“The constitution should be promulgated through the Constituent Assembly. We should forge consensus among parties to take the peace and constitution-writing process to a logical conclusion,” said Dahal while presenting his political document at the party’s central committee (CC) meeting that started on Thursday.

Dahal did not specify whether a revival of the CA or fresh polls was the option. His decision to shy away from one option, according to a Maoist central committee leader, implies that Dahal is ‘open’ to any option that will garner greater political support.

“The chairman stressed that the party should give continuity to the path of political consensus, as envisioned by the 12-point agreement,” said Politburo member Haribol Gajurel. “He underscored the need of political consensus in bringing about the new constitution through the Constituent Assembly.”

In his political document, Dahal has stated that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai would step down once the political parties came to an understanding.

Dahal also suggested that the party will begin fresh agitation if there are conspiracies to block efforts for peace and constitution.

In his 38-page document, Dahal has evaluated key events after the party’s entry into the peace process, including Constituent Assembly elections, the dismissal of then Army chief Rookmangud Katawal and the deal signed by parties on army integration. Dahal has committed some ‘amendments to the technical aspects’ of the November 1 army integration deal to ensure an honourable integration of former Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army.

“There were some mistakes as enough discussions could not be held before signing the seven-point deal. We failed to maintain a correct stance on age, marital status and educational qualifications required for integration,” a CC member quoted Dahal as saying.

Dahal suggested that his party should make additional efforts to solve technical glitches and to ensure a “dignified integration of the combatants into the Nepal Army”. He regretted having not let the CA decide on contentious constitutional issues and lamented the time the party wasted “in the name of talks to narrow down differences”.

Dahal told the CC members that the Maoist party became ‘arrogant’ after it emerged as the largest party in the 2008 CA elections. “Had the party used its conscience, it would not have lost powerful positions such as those of the President and the CA chairman,” Dahal observed.

The Maoist chairman said that his government had committed a mistake by removing then Army Chief Katawal in May 2009 and regretted his resignation as the prime minister. In his paper, to be distributed to CC members on Friday, Dahal stresses the need to end factionalism in the party. Dahal also categorised the breakaway faction led by Mohan Baidya as ‘rightist’ and ‘orthodox.’


Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/2012/07/13/top-story/dahal-for-constitution-through-ca/357044/