NC most rigid in talks: Chand

KIRAN PUN
Ball in court of govt and HLPC
KATHMANDU, August 21: While it is widely perceived that the UCPN (Maoist) and its chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, have remained reluctant to bring the Mohan Baidya-led CPN-Maoist on board the election process, an influential CPN-Maoist leader, Netra Bikram Chand, has accused the Nepali Congress of being rigid against addressing the agitating parties´ demands.
Focusing on scheduled talks with the high level political committee, HLPC, on Thursday, party leaders also claimed that the NC is standing against any solution and was not being flexible in talks.

"The talks may make some headway and find a positive conclusion if the NC presents itself with seriousness and a positive attitude. NC is the most rigid in the ongoing talks process," Chand, secretary of the CPN-Maoist, told Republica, when asked about the possibility of any headway in talks in the coming days.

Maoist leaders allege that the NC has been showing rigidity in talks especially after the India visit of NC President Sushil Koirala.

Ball in court of govt and HLPC
The leaders of the agitating forces said the ball is in the court of the government and the HLPC, arguing that a positive conclusion to talks depends on the flexibility of the government and the HLPC. They said the HLPC should show flexibility now as it was they who abandoned the path of consensus when opting for the 11-point deal and 25-point ordinance for removing constitutional difficulties. They argued that they have already shown flexibility in accepting talks with the HPLC and the government. Earlier, the alliance had decided to sit for talks only with President Ram Baran Yadav, arguing that the government and the HLPC were unconstitutional.

"Will the talks bring a positive conclusion or not? It depends on the government and the four parties [HLPC]," Dev Gurung, secretary of CPN-Maoist, told Republica. "Consensus lies in the flexibility of the four parties." He also argued that the four parties had started to go it alone, abandoning any consensus of all political forces.

"Our talks bottom line is clear -- consensus on the contents of the constitution. At the meeting tomorrow [Thursday] also we want talks on this issue. Only consensus on the contents of the constitution will create the environment for elections," added Chand.

Findings of talks
The leaders of the agitating forces do not see the upcoming talks being fruitful for them.
"The government and HLPC have not shown any alternatives for a solution. The tendencies of the government and HLPC are not indicative of any solution," K.B. Gurung, standing committee member of CPN (Unified), a constituent party of the alliance, told Republica.

But Mani Thapa, general secretary of the Revolutionary Communist Party of Nepal, another constituent force of the alliance, has spoken of a slim chance of a conclusion through talks. He argued that the four parties will come into consensus because of the compulsions of their own internal problems.
"No party is ready for the 19 November election [with the NC, UML and Maoists talking elections just for public consumption]. The consensus will gel around deferring the election date," added Thapa.

The CPN-Maoist led alliance has decided on Tuesday to intensify its struggle program and will participate in just one or two more rounds of talks, concluding that the government and the HLPC are not serious about addressing their demands.
from Republica