CPN-M talks CA share

KATHMANDU, DEC 01 -

The CPN-Maoist that boycotted the second Constituent Assembly election has started backdoor negotiations with leaders of major political parties to participate in the constitution-writing process.

Senior leaders of the party have said there have been positive talks with the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, the two parties that have emerged the largest in the recently held election, regarding their participation in the CA. They, however, declined to divulge details of the talks.

CPN-Maoist Vice-chairman CP Gajurel said the major parties have “in principle” agreed to include them in the CA. He said that inadequate internal discussions on both the sides have barred them from entering actual negotiations.

“They [big parties] have acknowledged that the constitution cannot be promulgated by keeping us outside. But there haven’t been concrete talks on the details including the number of CA seats,” Gajurel told the Post.

The party has been demanding a “dignified position” in the CA in order to take part in both the constitution-writing process and the government.

The CPN-Maoist leadership has insisted that the constitution be amended in order to ensure the party’s entry into the CA. It has been saying that the 26 seats that the Cabinet allocates are not enough for it.

NC President Sushil Koirala has already said the new government will bring all the political parties on board. In an interview with the Post, he said that the CPN-Maoist will also be given a decent number of CA seats.

Leaders said a few technical issues—final election results and government formation—have delayed decisive talks and that meaningful dialogue will be held once internal discussions are over.

The CPN-Maoist has been preparing to call a meeting of its Central Committee soon to prepare a strategy. Sources said the party leadership is likely to bargain for an equal number of seats that its rival UCPN (Maoist) got in the polls, which is 80.

CPN-Maoist Secretary Dev Gurung, however, said the “rumours” of 80 seats were baseless. He said that his party has not yet entered into the agenda to be tabled during the negotiations.

Gurung said the agitating parties will come up with a clear proposal on participation in the CA after internal deliberations.

The CPN-Maoist -led alliance of parties has announced to join the CA as they have run out of genuine agenda to go to the public. The alliance had stayed out of the election process after its demands were not addressed.