KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s meeting with political parties at Baluwatar has been extended.
After holding a four-hour dialogue with Gen-Z representatives earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Karki began consultations with political parties from 4 p.m. The discussion, attended by leaders from 11 recognized parties represented in the dissolved parliament and two observers, was still ongoing at the time of reporting.
“This dialogue will continue for some more time as party leaders are speaking one after another,” said Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel. “In the first phase, all leaders have presented their views, and the session is nearing its end.”
According to Kharel, all parties have expressed their views centered on the upcoming elections. “There seems to be a general agreement on going for elections,” he said. “Leaders have, however, emphasized that the government must ensure a secure environment.”
Meanwhile, CPN-UML leaders Shankar Pokharel and Pradeep Gyawali raised doubts over the government’s ability to hold the elections but did not oppose the idea of elections itself, according to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.
From UML, Pokharel and Gyawali attended the meeting, while Nepali Congress was represented by Vice President Dhanraj Gurung and General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa. The Maoist Centre delegated Secretariat members Barshaman Pun and Pampha Bhusal.
Similarly, Rastriya Swatantra Party was represented by Vice President Dr. Swarnim Wagle and former lawmaker Sobita Gautam. Other attendees included Rajendra Gurung and Mohan Shrestha from Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Upendra Yadav and Prakash Adhikari from Janata Samajbadi Party, and Sarbendra Nath Shukla from Loktantrik Samajbadi Party. Resham Chaudhary (Nagarik Unmukti Party), Prem Suwal (Nepal Workers and Peasants Party), Chandan Singh (Janamat Party), Rajendra Pandey and Prakash Jwala (Unified Socialist) were also present.
Two observers, Kedar Bhakta Mathema and Bidyadhar Mallik, were invited to the dialogue.
Earlier, the President and the Election Commission had held separate rounds of consultations with political parties regarding the upcoming elections scheduled for March 5. Tuesday’s meeting marks the first dialogue initiated directly by Prime Minister Karki.
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