In an attempt to woo votes in Sunday’s voting for the post of prime minister, the UCPN (Maoist) has come up with a time bound proposal on peace and constitution writing process.
Organising a press conference on Thursday, the party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal made public the proposal in which the party has promised to complete the integration and rehabilitation of its fighters within one and half month if the party is given the chance to lead the national unity government. The document proposes rotational leadership for other parties in future but argues, as a major stakeholder of the peace process, the Maoists should be given the first opportunity to lead the government to expedite the peace process and constitution writing process.
The Maoists have also proposed an extension of the CA for six months instead of three months as proposed by the government to complete all the task of the peace process and constitution writing. The party has promised it would begin regrouping its fighters before the 31 August deadline and hand over the weapons and combatants to the Special Committee. It has also decided to form a technical team comprising members of both PLA and Nepal Army within seven days for rank harmonisation and resolve other issues related to integration and rehabilitation.
According to the proposal, around eight thousand Maoist fighters are to be integrated in the national security force and a golden handshake offer of Rs 700,000 to Rs 1 million for those who opt for rehabilitation package. The Maoists have agreed to create a separate directorate under the Nepal Army for their combatants.
The Standing Committee meeting on Thursday endorsed the proposal. However, NC said the proposal has come too late in the day for possibility of consensus. “It is already too late for a consensus government but we can shape the majority government into a consensus one,” NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC told nepalitimes.com.
UML, the third largest party in the parliament is still undecided on its position in the election for the PM. However, the party has already made it clear that it would not compete for the post.UML’s Madhav Kumar Nepal had led the government for 21 months and Jhalanath Khanal remained in the post for six months.
The UCPN (Maoist) candidate Baburam Bhattarai and NC candidate Ram Chandra Poudel are the only likely contestants for the post on Sunday election. The Maoists have 237 members in the CA. The total number of a 601-member CA is only 594 as three members have passed away, one resigned and three members got their membership cancelled.
The Maoist candidate Baburam Bhattarai has high prospect of winning Sunday’s election, as he requires only 61 extra votes while NC candidate Ram Chandra Poudel requires 184 votes from other parties to garner majority in the parliament.
UML has 109 and Madhesi alliance has 71 votes but there is division within both the parties on whom to support. The small parties, among which there are many small left factions, have 63 votes between them and might play crucial role in Sunday’s election.