Poll fever grips UCPN (M), NC, UML

KATHMANDU, MAR 17 -

With the formation of the chief justice-led election government, the three major parties have mustered their forces to chart out separate poll strategies.

While the UCPN (Maoist) has called its Central Committee meeting beginning Wednesday to unveil the party’s election plan and strategy, the Nepali Congress has started an internal homework to prepare the party’s election game plan and resolve intra-party disputes. The CPN-UML is also holding a Standing Committee meeting on Tuesday to that effect. UCPN (M) leaders said the party has been pressurising the government and other parties to hold Constituent Assembly elections in June. During a meeting with Chairman of the interim election government Khil Raj Regmi, party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged him to hold elections on the scheduled date at any cost and expressed commitment to provide all help.

According to UCPN (M) spokesperson Agni Sapkota, the Central Committee would unveil an action plan for the CA elections. Earlier, Dahal had directed his party leaders to focus on the poll s. “After the Central Committee meet, the party will whole-heartedly focus on the elections and deploy top leaders to their respective constituencies to motivate the cadres and people,” said Sapkota. “The elections in June is the safest option both for the Interim Poll Government and political parties.” Maoist leaders said their party would secure a comfortable majority despite the last year split if the elections were held in June.

Within the NC, an informal meeting of office bearers discussed preparations for the elections.

Though majority of Central Working Committee (CWC) members were against the formation of the Regmi-led government, leaders believe that dissatisfaction will gradually fade out and the party will go for the poll s with a united face.

Once the election date is announced, the party will go on the campaign trail despite the reservation about the government formation, according to leaders.

The first preparation, according to leaders, is to resolve the disputes regarding the formation of various party departments and sister organisations.

Similarly, holding general conventions of the party’s sister organisations is another top priority for the party leadership to prepare for the elections. NC President Sushil Koirala is likely to form the party’s parliamentary board to speed up preparations for the poll s.

As a part of election preparations, the NC is preparing to hold a meeting of Mahasamiti, the body mandated to take policy decision, beginning April 8 in Nawalparasi

district. According to Congress leader Nabindra Raj Joshi, the Mahasamiti meet will prepare party’s election manifesto and discuss an election strategy.

The UML also seems equally serious about the elections. The Standing Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday will dwell on preparations for poll s and addressing the dissatisfactions among some leaders within the party, said UML leaders.

Source: The Kathmandu Post