PM Koirala in Biratnagar; says he is committed to party unity
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala arrived in his hometown Biratnagar on a private tour Monday afternoon.
Koirala landed at the Biratnagar Airport accompanied by his personal physician Dr Madhu Ghimire and his personal assistants.
This was his first trip outside the capital since last six weeks because of health problems. Koirala, who underwent intensive treatment at the Gangalal National Heart Centre for over a week last month because of lung complications, had been advised by his doctors to take rest and avoid stressful routine. He had visited Biratnagar few weeks after assuming the leadership of the seven-party alliance government on April 27 this year.
Talking to reporters at his residence, Koirala who heads the Nepali Congress (NC), expressed confidence that the NC and the breakaway party, Nepali Congress (Democratic), would soon be united.
“I am on a campaign to unite the two parties. I am against damaging anybody’s image while uniting the parties,” the Prime Minister said. He, however, would not elaborate what preparations were being made for merging the NC and the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led NC (D) into a single Congress party.
The NC saw a vertical split in 2002 following internal disputes.
On another question, Koirala said the government was committed to establishing lasting peace in the country. “I don’t want to go after what others say from outside. I only recognize what has been agreed upon during face-to-face talks,” he said, hinting at the seething reactions over his remarks that the King should also be given space in multiparty democracy. nepalnews.com mk Aug 13 06
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