Nepal's ruling SPA forms taskforce to prepare CA meet

Kathmandu, May 9 : A meeting the ruling Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) Friday reached an understanding to call the first Constituent Assembly meeting by the last week of May.

The first SPA meeting after the historical CA polls held at the Prime Minister's official residence at Baluwatar proposed Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to convene the first CA meeting between May 25 and 28.

Leaders of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party-Anandidevi (NSP-A) did not show up at the meeting due to wrangling within the party.

As per the constitutional provision the first CA meeting should be convened with in 21 days after the announcement of the complete CA polls result.

According to Kantipur, the Election Commission had submitted the final list of CA members elected under direct and proportional electoral system to the Prime Minister on Thursday.

Today's SPA meeting decided to set up a taskforce comprising the leaders of the six parties to work out the procedure, working list and agenda for the first CA meeting, UML leader Jhalanath Khanal informed. he SPA taskforce will also take initiatives to forge an alliance with the newly emerged Madhes-based parties, Khanal added.

The meeting also handed over the responsibility to the taskforce for recommending the names of 26 distinguished persons as the CA members to the government.

The taskforce constitutes Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai and Krishan Bahadur Mahara, Nepali Congress leaders Ram Chandra Poudel and Bimelandra Nidhai, UML's Jhala Nath Khanal and Bhim Rawal, CPN-ML's CP Mainali, People's Front Nepal's Lila Mani Pokhrel, and Ghanashyam Sharman Poudel and Nepal Worker's and Peasant Party's Prem Suwal and are the members of the taskforce.

The SPA has also appealed to all the friend nations and governments, national and international organisations, civil society, government employee and Journalists, among others, to extend active support on their part in the great task of construction of Nepal.

ANI