Vacuum if no deal by Nov 22: Prez

KATHMANDU, NOV 02 - 

President Ram Baran Yadav on Thursday asked Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to seek consensus on a political roadmap by November 22, the day the PM has chosen for holding fresh Constituent Assembly elections. The President argued that the country will enter into a "vacuum" if agreement is not had by then.

Yadav invited Bhattarai to Sheetal Niwas and told him that the state of indecision should not prolonged beyond the date.

Though the Election Commission has expressed its inability to hold elections on November 22, the government has so far not cancelled or postponed the polls.

“The standing decision of the government is to conduct Constituent Assembly elections in Mangshir 7 (November 22). The failure to strike an agreement within that date will result in a void,” President's Press Advisor Rajendra Dahal quoted Yadav as telling the PM.

The President further said that the delay in hammering out a deal could disrupt plans to hold elections in mid-April. “Elections will be delayed for another one year if parties don't strike accord in the near future,” Dahal quoted Yadav as saying.

During an hour-long discussion, Yadav said the government should also forge political consensus to bring out a budget within mid-November. He clarified that he will not have any constitutional basis on which to support a budget without a cross-party agreement.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Bhattarai said the President has urged introducing the budget as early as possible.

Yadav has invited top leaders of the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha at his residence on Friday morning. The impasse and budget will be key agendas of the talks, according to presidential aides.

Source: The Kathmandu Post