Kathmandu, 19 Nov: Amid a continuing government crisis, a top leader of Nepali Congress ruled out any agreement Monday morning at a summit of seven parties scheduled to begin at nine in the morning ahead of a regular winter session of parliament in the afternoon."I don’t think there will be an understanding in today’s meeting ," Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat told Radio Nepal."We’ve [seven parties] established a procedure for that [to declare republic through first meeting of elected members of constituent assembly]. The Maoist position that a republic I s important not the constitution has made us suspicious," Dr Mahat told state radio.
‘A republic has become the property of the parliament and people. Constitution is not important; they have been repeatedly amended in the past to accommodate political developments," Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma told state radio demanding immediate declaration of a republic even by overriding the constitution.Dr Baburam Bhattarai Sunday threatened to oust Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala if twin communist demands for an immediate declaration of a republic and assembly election through proportional representation aren’t fulfilled.When Koirala Sunday asked party central leaders at meetings of the party central committee and parliamentary party committee to be ‘flexible’ to Maoists, there was almost rebellion with influential members saying they will defy a party whip.Defiant central leaders, including Khum Bahadur Khadka, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and Gobinda Raj Joshi, insisted general convention decision to oppose twin communist demands must be implemented fully.
"The party cannot any longer be a carrier for Maoists," Joshi said.Koirala earlier described the winter session as a ‘peace session’.Koirala told the committee meetings Sunday the summit will fix date for assembly election—Koirala has proposed the twice postponed vote should be held by mid-April 2008.Koirala is under conflicting pressures from his party and communists.Party leaders started assembling at Baluwatar from eight in the morning for the crucial summit meeting.
‘A republic has become the property of the parliament and people. Constitution is not important; they have been repeatedly amended in the past to accommodate political developments," Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma told state radio demanding immediate declaration of a republic even by overriding the constitution.Dr Baburam Bhattarai Sunday threatened to oust Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala if twin communist demands for an immediate declaration of a republic and assembly election through proportional representation aren’t fulfilled.When Koirala Sunday asked party central leaders at meetings of the party central committee and parliamentary party committee to be ‘flexible’ to Maoists, there was almost rebellion with influential members saying they will defy a party whip.Defiant central leaders, including Khum Bahadur Khadka, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and Gobinda Raj Joshi, insisted general convention decision to oppose twin communist demands must be implemented fully.
"The party cannot any longer be a carrier for Maoists," Joshi said.Koirala earlier described the winter session as a ‘peace session’.Koirala told the committee meetings Sunday the summit will fix date for assembly election—Koirala has proposed the twice postponed vote should be held by mid-April 2008.Koirala is under conflicting pressures from his party and communists.Party leaders started assembling at Baluwatar from eight in the morning for the crucial summit meeting.
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