33-parties unlikely to join electoral process; HLPC requests govt. to legitimize agreements with different groups

KATHMANDU: With very little chance that the poll-opposing 33 party alliance will join the electoral process, the High Level Political Committee (HLPC), the cross-party taskforce of major political parties formed to assist the Chief Justice led election government, has formally asked the interim government to amend the Interim Constitution to acknowledge the agreements forged with Upendra Yadav-led Federal Democratic Front (FDF) and Ashok Rai-led Federal Socialist Party (FSP).

During their meeting with the chairperson of the Interim Election Government at Baluwatar, top leaders of HLPC requested the chairperson Regmi to give legitimacy to the agreements by amending the interim constitution today.

Earlier, the HLPC – now the cross-party mechanism of five political forces—had agreed with the Front and the FSP to retain the size of Constituent Assembly to 601-member. According to Nepali Congress leader Dr. Minendra Rijal, the leaders asked Chairman Regmi to proceed the constitution amendment.

The HLPC members met Regmi as per the decision made by yesterday’s meeting to meet Regmi and request him to initiate the process of removing constitutional difficulties in line with the agreement struck with the Federal Socialist Party-Nepal (FSPN). The HLPC on Tuesday decided to implement agreements reached so far with other parties through constitutional amendments.

They apprised the executive head of the HLPC’s decision to conduct the slated elections even without the participation of CPN-Maoist as the efforts to convince the dissenting forces for the polls failed.

UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML leader Madhav Koirala and United Democratic Madhesi Front leader Rameshwor Raya Yadav among others were present at the meeting.

The HLPC however decided to let the doors for consensus with the poll opposing parties open. The 33-party alliance could not agree to take part in the election after the HLPC rejected their demand of deferring the election date slated for November 19 and dissolving the Chief Justice led government. The poll opposing parties have announced various protest programs targeting to foil the election.