CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the federal and provincial elections should be held in November.

Speaking at a press meet in Pokhara on Sunday, Dahal said though the constitution provisions to hold the federal and provincial elections by February, it would be most appropriate to conduct those elections by November.

“Our view is to hold the two elections by mid-November. It would also mark a completion of a step of constitution implementation,” he said.

Dahal expressed his belief that the third phase of local level elections in Province 2 will also be successful as the first and second phases.

He added that the completion of federal and provincial elections would open the doors for development, economic prosperity and social justice in the country.

The Maoist Centre chief claimed that prioritising the constitution implementation rather than the victory or defeat was the key to the successful completion of two phases of local elections. 

He also voiced his support for a directly-elected head of the government. “If we look into the trend since 1951, the prime ministerial system has done no good to the country and is unlikely to do any good in the future,” he said, claiming that the rule of a directly-elected head for five years would bring stability and economic development in the country. “It is therefore important we go for the directly-elected president or prime minister.” 

The former PM claimed that agreement for a directly-elected head of state was reached in the first Constituent Assembly but was later rejected.

Pointing out the defects of current prime ministerial system, Dahal said “three governments have been formed since the promulgation of the new constitution and fourth one might be on the cards.

” However, he immediately corrected himself, saying “a fourth government was only a hypothesis” and ruled out any possibility of change of guard anytime soon.