PM optimistic all will be well
KATHMANDU, May 15:
The spacious ground floor meeting hall is decorated with framed pictures of Nepal’s eight former prime ministers since the political change of 1990. Jhala Nath Khanal’s picture could have become the ninth one to have been framed up on the wall – next to his party colleague and bête noire Madhav Kumar Nepal – had he delayed his return home from his trip to Turkey earlier in the week.
Hours after his arrival on Thursday morning, the government registered a motion in the parliament seeking extension of the Assembly’s tenure by a year, a move that has drawn flak from the main opposition party. The Nepal-Oli faction of his own party has sided with the opposition and stepped up pressure on the prime minister to step down.
“The government cannot change in the way that is being demanded,” he told The Himalayan Times and its sister daily Annapurna Post, in a joint-interview on Saturday morning.
“Any attempt to look for solutions outside the procedures will only put the country in greater difficulty,” Khanal said.
The motion now in parliament, which will mature on May 27, has diverted the attention of political parties, giving some relief to the beleaguered prime minister.
“It’s not possible to conclude the peace process and frame a new constitution by May 28,” he said explaining the government move seeking the Assembly’s tenure extension in terms of “the doctrine of necessity”.
This time around, the government is honest and does not want to keep the country in protracted suspense over extension of the Assembly’s tenure beyond May 28, he said.
“The government took the decision because the state should have a concrete plan in case of emerging crises in the post May 28 scenario,” he explained, adding “It will take roughly a year to finalise the constitution once the first draft is ready. But, the tenure of the Constituent Assembly itself will be determined through consultation with other political parties.”
The prime minister said he was aware of the government’s priority. “Of course, the peace process should conclude before constitution-writing, but one cannot be at the expense of the other.”
Khanal said the government is taking some immediate steps, without divulging details, to conclude the peace process. “Within the next few days, we are announcing a forward looking proposal with a timeline for the peace process,” he said. “My policy of dealing with the Maoists falls in line with that of late Girija Prasad Koirala, who did not want to isolate the former rebels.”
The prime minister defended his decision to allot the home ministry to UCPN-M, saying the party had made a course correction lately by amending the Palungtar plenum’s decision pushing for people’s revolt, in favour of peace and constitution drafting processes.
Despite bitterness surrounding the political debates, the prime minister sounded optimistic about the post-May 28 situation. “Political parties will strike a consensus on the peace process before May 28, giving momentum to the peace and constitution writing processes and setting the stage for a general election,” he said. The ongoing consultations between parties, he hoped, would help forge consensus soon. “We are doing homework. I believe, there will be an agreement among parties in the next few days.”
Source: THT
The spacious ground floor meeting hall is decorated with framed pictures of Nepal’s eight former prime ministers since the political change of 1990. Jhala Nath Khanal’s picture could have become the ninth one to have been framed up on the wall – next to his party colleague and bête noire Madhav Kumar Nepal – had he delayed his return home from his trip to Turkey earlier in the week.
Hours after his arrival on Thursday morning, the government registered a motion in the parliament seeking extension of the Assembly’s tenure by a year, a move that has drawn flak from the main opposition party. The Nepal-Oli faction of his own party has sided with the opposition and stepped up pressure on the prime minister to step down.
“The government cannot change in the way that is being demanded,” he told The Himalayan Times and its sister daily Annapurna Post, in a joint-interview on Saturday morning.
“Any attempt to look for solutions outside the procedures will only put the country in greater difficulty,” Khanal said.
The motion now in parliament, which will mature on May 27, has diverted the attention of political parties, giving some relief to the beleaguered prime minister.
“It’s not possible to conclude the peace process and frame a new constitution by May 28,” he said explaining the government move seeking the Assembly’s tenure extension in terms of “the doctrine of necessity”.
This time around, the government is honest and does not want to keep the country in protracted suspense over extension of the Assembly’s tenure beyond May 28, he said.
“The government took the decision because the state should have a concrete plan in case of emerging crises in the post May 28 scenario,” he explained, adding “It will take roughly a year to finalise the constitution once the first draft is ready. But, the tenure of the Constituent Assembly itself will be determined through consultation with other political parties.”
The prime minister said he was aware of the government’s priority. “Of course, the peace process should conclude before constitution-writing, but one cannot be at the expense of the other.”
Khanal said the government is taking some immediate steps, without divulging details, to conclude the peace process. “Within the next few days, we are announcing a forward looking proposal with a timeline for the peace process,” he said. “My policy of dealing with the Maoists falls in line with that of late Girija Prasad Koirala, who did not want to isolate the former rebels.”
The prime minister defended his decision to allot the home ministry to UCPN-M, saying the party had made a course correction lately by amending the Palungtar plenum’s decision pushing for people’s revolt, in favour of peace and constitution drafting processes.
Despite bitterness surrounding the political debates, the prime minister sounded optimistic about the post-May 28 situation. “Political parties will strike a consensus on the peace process before May 28, giving momentum to the peace and constitution writing processes and setting the stage for a general election,” he said. The ongoing consultations between parties, he hoped, would help forge consensus soon. “We are doing homework. I believe, there will be an agreement among parties in the next few days.”
Source: THT
