Nepalese opposition demands dismissal of caretaker govt

, May 30: Sixteen Nepalese opposition parties have joined hands to ask President Ram Baran Yadav to dismiss the country's Maoist caretaker regime and replace it with National Consensus

. The opposition parties comprising the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and other groups have also threatened a nationwide stir to back their demand for dismissal of the Baburam Bhattarai government.

"We are not against elections, but we don't want Maoists to conduct the elections," leaders of these parties said after submitting a joint memorandum to the president last night. "We are demanding a new government that would have representation from all political parties to ensure that the polls are free and fair," said Nepali Congress Vice-president Ramchandra Poudyal. They have asked the president to take necessary steps by exercising his constitutional and legal powers to pave the way for the formation of a national consensus government.

The parties have warned they would enforce a nationwide strike if necessary to dislodge the caretaker government. They said Bhattarai's move to announce fresh elections on November 22 without consulting other parties was 'unconstitutional'. "The Prime Minister has committed a blunder by announcing the new election date without consulting other parties and without amending the Interim Constitution, which does not have such provision, so we will launch agitation to dislodge this government by forging collaboration with other parties," said Poudyal.

"We have, urged the president to take necessary steps to form a national consensus government within his constitutional and legal jurisdiction," said CPN-ML President CP Mainali. They said the Constituent Assembly (CA) election was not possible without setting up a national consensus government.

PTI