The political deadlock in Nepal triggered by the Maoists demands
to declare the country a republic through the parliament and adopt
fully Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system has finally
ended through voting in the interim parliament on Sunday.
The special session of the interim parliament concluded Sunday
after the Communist Party of Nepal Maoist (CPN-M) withdrew on of
their motions and supported the amendment proposal tabled by the
Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML).
The CPN-UML had tabled motions in the parliament saying the
country be declared a republic after the Constituent Assembly (CA)
elections and to adopt PR electoral system.
During the meeting, various political parties including Nepal
Sadbhawana Party-Anandi Devi, CPN-Marxist Leninist and other
smaller parties decided to abstain from voting on any of the
motions while the amendment proposals tabled by the Nepal Workers
and Peasants Party to declare a socialist republic and mixed
electoral system was quashed by the House.
The political parties in Nepal tried to solve the crisis through
consensus among seven party alliance (SPA) as the ruling Nepali
Congress and the CPN-M refused to budge from their respective
stance.
The CPN-M called for special session of the parliament to
declare the country a republic through the parliament and hold CA
elections on PR basis.
On the other hand the NC refused to compromise to its stance
that the country should be proclaimed a republic, but the decision
should be endorsed only by the first meeting of the elected CA.
Similarly, the party also refused to compromise when it comes to a
mixed electoral system.
The parties had been holding bilateral and multilateral
discussion hoping for an agreement at the 11th hour in the run up
to Sunday's meeting of the special House session.
After a crucial meeting between the top leaders of the seven
parties held Sunday morning at PM's official residence in Kathmandu
to forge an agreement on the issue of the republic also ended
inconclusively, the leaders of the major left parties have gathered
at the CPN-UML parliamentary party office to explore the
possibility for the success of their motions.
Prior to the voting, Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad
Koirala, while addressing the parliament before the final debate on
the motions stressed the need of unity among seven parties
irrespective of division and disagreement on the issue of the
motion.
PM Koirala said that he would stay away from the voting process
as he was elected as prime minister by the seven parties.
Replying to queries raised by lawmakers over the CPN-M motions
on a republic and a fully PR electoral system, PM Koirala said that
the decision of the parliament would be a historic one to keep the
seven-party unity intact.
(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2007)
