Valley
HLPC demand flares as UML opposes Maoist proposal
UCPN (Maoist)'s demand for High-level Political Committee (HLPC) leadership for a fixed period has drawn firm opposition from a ruling CPN-UML.UML leaders have expressed doubts that Dahal could prolong the constitution drafting process if Dahal gets to head the cross-party mechanism. Senior Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai is trying to convince UML Chairman KP Oli to appoint Dahal for a certain period. “The UCPN (Maoist)’s position on constitution drafting is wavering. So, we cannot give the leadership of both the HLPC and PDCC to UCPN (Maoist),” said UML Secretary Pradeep Gyawali.
The Nepali Congress is ready to temporarily appoint Dahal but senior UML leaders including Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal are firm against the UCPN (Maoist) proposal. Along with the leadership, terms of reference is another contentious issue of the HLPC. The parties had earlier agreed that the HLPC would only look after the issues related to peace process. But the UCPN (Maoist) is now suggesting that the HLPC be mandated to guide the constitution drafting process.
Another thorny issue of a new constitution is the members of HLPC. The UCPN (Maoist) suggests all the Madhes-based parties should be included in the HLPC. But the ruling parties are against it, arguing that a big HLPC cannot function effectively. It has been almost a month since the opposition parties obstructed the house, demanding the formation of HLPC, a component of four-party deal signed last December.
‘CA, PDCC making no progress’
Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal (MJF-N) Chairman Upendra Yadav has said the Constituent Assembly and Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee (PDCC) have not made any progress regarding the contentious issues of constitution drafting.
He criticised the PDCC for giving a false impression that the consensus forged by the previous CA as the progress made by the current CA. Discussions on key issues of contention like federalism, forms of governance, judiciary and electoral system have not been conducted so far, he said at an interaction in the Capital on Sunday.
If the situation continues like this, there will be merely a constitution by January 22, said Yadav. “Some leaders are on foreign junket while some are irregular at the meetings. How can we expect a constitution before deadline this way?”
Yadav also slammed the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML for their proposal. “If the NC and UML dare to promulgate the constitution through voting process without having consensus, we will not accept it. Should such a situation arise, we will quit the CA and announce the new constitution through the street struggle,” Yadav warned. Ruling out any compromise on state restructuring without federalism, he said the forum will oppose if the ruling parties opt for federalism based on north-south. “NC and UML are hatching a plot by creating north-south federalism. This is just an excuse to get away from the federalism.”
Dismissing CK Raut’s secession campaign as irrelevant, Yadav clarified that his party has no support at all for that. The MJF-N chief said the government decision to have Raut arrested only glorified him.