Pull Out of 12-Point Pact, Says Ex-minister
Former minister Kamal Chaulagain urged the seven-party alliance to pull out of the 12-point understanding reached with the Maoists on November 22 and be ready for parliamentary elections which would be held by April 2007.
"The King's message to the nation on the occasion of the 56th Democracy Day aims at bringing the derailed democratic process back on track through parliamentary elections. So, the seven-party alliance must pull out of the understanding and prepare themselves for the elections," said Chaulagain during an interaction programme organised by Media Group Nepal on Thursday.
He said that the government formed after the parliamentary elections can hold talks with the Maoists.
He said that the municipal elections held on February 8 had proved that parliamentary elections was also possible despite the Maoists threats.
He, however, expressed his reservation over the political outcome of the municipal elections, saying that although civic polls were strategically successful, it was a failure from political point of view, as some ministers even talked about the postponement of the polls if the parties returned to dialogue.
He said that the King's 'authority' had been misused to bring the "politically displaced Panchas" back to power.
"The country's problem can never be resolved by promoting the hard-liner Panchas and politically displaced persons to power," he said.
Chairman of Nepal Bishwo Hindu Federation Bharat Keshar Singh accused the political parties of inciting terrorism and not paying attention to the King's call for dialogue and reconciliation.
Singh said that it was the political parties who recommended the King to use Article 127 of the constitution and did not oppose it for months, hoping that the King would appoint one of them as prime minister.
He also warned that the nation would plunge into civil war if the Royal Nepalese Army was put along the same footing with that of the terrorists, as has been suggested by the 12-point understanding of the parties and the Maoists.
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