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)