E-Kantipur

PALPA, SEP 07 - Top leaders of the Nepali Congress have said that the revival of the dissolved Constituent Assembly is possible only if the party is in the governing helm.

Addressing the NC's Western Regional Mahasamiti gathering in Tansen, Palpa, on Friday, the party leaders said that the CA could be revived for an interim period to promulgate a new constitution only if an NC-led government was formed. Or else, there was no alternative to fresh CA elections.

"A Congress-headed government must be formed as agreed in the five-point deal for the restoration of the Constituent Assembly. The incumbent government led by Baburam Bhattarai cannot undertake the task," said NC President Sushil Koirala. He said that the CA reinstatement should be done in the presence of the President and the international community.

The NC leader said that UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had suggested him in private meeting that the NC should take charge of the government to resolve the ongoing political problem.

"The Congress will give up the prime minister's berth after the promulgation of a new constitution is guaranteed," said Koirala.

Senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba said that the CA could be revived for at least 10 days to issue a new constitution. He said that a short-term revival was imperative, even if it meant outlining the basic draft of the understanding to promulgate the new statute.

"The current situation demands that we give a political outlet at the earliest," said Deuba.

NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel said that once the issue of constitution promulgation is settled, the country should go to elections. He added that the issues of federalism and state restructuring should be decided by a referendum. "The Maoist party has suggested 10 states while the Congress has recommended six. It is best that we conduct a referendum to decide the matter and we've suggested the Maoist leaders the same," said Paudel.

NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula said new CA polls could be conducted if the CA was not revived. "We could elect a smaller assembly this time," he suggested.

Meanwhile, most of the Mahasamiti members and the NC district level leaders said that the CA should not be revived as suggested by the central leadership. They said that the NC leaders should have a singular opinion on the matter.

Posted on: 2012-09-07 11:59

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