Nepal’s warring political parties united by the killer quake have agreed to set aside differences over the long-pending constitution and work towards its early promulgation. Senior politicians of Nepal’s major political parties also floated in the Parliament on Saturday the idea of forming a national unity Government to complete works in limbo.
A 27-point common motion was tabled asking the government to take prompt and specific measures for relief and rehabilitation of millions of affected people. “We should form a national unity Government to complete the constitution drafting process, to hold local polls and to speed up reconstruction and rehabilitation works, said Madhav Nepal, former Prime Minister and senior leader of CPN-UMl.
Formation of a consensus Government could bolster the Government mechanism, he added. It is an appropriate time to form a national Government, said Jhalanath Khanal, another senior leader of the party and a former premier. “I ask all the parties to take initiative to form a unity Government. The earthquake certainly cost the country the loss of life and property, but has offered us an opportunity to build a new nation,” Khanal said. A national Government is required to meet the political, economic and social challenges after the great calamities.
A national Government under a dynamic leadership is required to tackle the crisis and to translate it into opportunity, said Baburam Bhattarai, former former Prime Minister and senior leader of UCPN-Maoist. “let’s give the leadership to an able one and let’s give a visionary leadership,” said Bhattarai.