Baidya-led bloc agrees to sit for dialogue ‘next week’ Move follows UCPN (M) chairman’s ‘unconditional’ talks offer

KATHMANDU, JUL 19 -
The Mohan Baidya -led CPN-Maoist and its allies, 33 parties that have been opposing the elections, have agreed to sit for talks with the High-level Political Committee ( HLPC ). The decision follows HLPC Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s willingness to sit for unconditional dialogue and the panel’s invite on Wednesday.

In a telephone conversation on Thursday, Baidya told Dahal that his alliance, of which he is the coordinator, will attend the talks next week, after discussing the possible compromises in his party’s State Council meeting that is under way. By then, the UCPN (Maoist) also plans to settle some internal issues through its extended plenum that begins on Friday.

CPN-Maoist spokesperson Pampha Bhusal said Baidya accepted the call of talks after Dahal agreed to hold open discussions, including on the possibility of changing the Khil Raj Regmi government and the date for holding the Constituent Assembly elections, currently scheduled for November 19.

“We will be sitting for talks next week as we need a few more days for consultations with our allies,” Bhusal said. CPN-M leaders said they also need time as they are waiting for some leaders, including Vice-chairman CP Gajurel and Secretaries Dev Gurung and Netra Bikram Chand, to return from their tour of some districts. The 33-party alliance has authorised Baidya to take a call on key issues concerning elections during negotiations with the major parties. The CPN-Maoist has been demanding replacement of the non-partisan government with a political one, termination of all agreements signed among the four parties and a halt to the election process. The alliance has also demanded that the contentious issues that led to the dissolution of the CA last year be resolved through an all-party round-table conference.

“There will be no change in our demands. The entire political course that the four parties have taken at the cost of the constitution should be corrected,” Gajurel told the Post.

The CPN-Maoist has already formed a high-level talks team under Baidya, while its members include some top leaders of the party. This decision, apparently taken without consultations with the fringe parties, threatened to split the alliance. Baidya later agreed to incorporate other parties in the dialogue team.

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