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Maoists willing to ditch NC and form govt through CA

The central secretariat meeting of the Maoist held Tuesday morning concluded that the party will go ahead and form government through the floor of Constituent Assembly (CA) if its last ditch efforts to keep alive the seven party alliance do not bear fruit.

Maoist leaders told reporters after the meeting that they think it is necessary to keep the unity among the seven parties who had worked together for peace process. But it also decided to explore other options if the political deadlock is not broken soon.

After the Maoists joined hands with the UML to back each other's candidate for prime minister and president, respectively, another influential SPA constituent, the Nepali Congress (NC), announced that it would stay in opposition.

The NC, however, has been demanding that a member of opposition is included in the Security Council – a demand that has been flatly rejected by Maoists and UML. The NC has said that it is necessary to have wide-ranging voice in the Council at a time when the country will go through crucial army integration debates.

The Maoists central secretariat meeting has decided to make another effort for consensus in the seven party meet to be held later today at parliament secretariat, for solution of the current political deadlock.

Senior Maoist leader Mohan Baidya said that his party's flexibility will be based on the conditions other parties put forward during the meeting.

Another Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai said the party would table the bill to amend the interim constitution during Wednesday's session of the constituent assembly if the government fails to bring one.

Party spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara said they would go to people for final decision if Nepali Congress continues to obstruct the process for forming a new government under their leadership.

The central secretariat meeting was called after the party reached understanding with second largest communist party UML in a bid to oust Nepali Congress and form new government possibly excluding that party. nepalnews.com sd/ia June 24 08