Nepali Congress leader and Health Minister Gagan Thapa has said the alliance between the NC and the CPN (Maoist Centre) will go a long way—until two other elections are held.

As per the constitutional deadline, after local polls, the country must hold provincial and federal elections by January next year.

The first phase of local elections is scheduled for Sunday, while the second one will take place on June 14.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters on Wednesday, Minister Thapa said since chances of the CPN-UML joining the government are slim, the present NC-Maoist alliance will continue until two other elections are held. 

On the upcoming elections, Thapa said there will be a contest between extreme and moderate forces. “Some parties are trying to contest elections in the name of race and religion and trying to disturb social harmony, we need to defeat such forces,” he added. 

Stating that the responsibility of finding a way out to all the crises in the country lies on the shoulders of the Congress party, Thapa said NC’s victory in these elections will pave the way for smooth implementation of the constitution. “And to implement the constitution and institutionalise it, the NC’s electoral alliance with the Maoist Centre is a right move.”