CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has proposed to hold the general election in April-May during the meeting of ruling coalition on Tuesday.
The term of federal parliament expires only in December but Dahal has proposed to hold the federal election before local election even as the term of the local governments expires in May.
In a brief interview with Setopati on Wednesday Dahal pointed at the continuous House obstruction by the main opposition CPN-UML as the main reason for proposing to hold general election so soon.
"The main opposition party has been creating problems by obstructing the House. Election seems to be the solution for that. I have said that the federal election should be held in April or May even by passing a resolution through the House," Dahal reasoned. He argued that the election can be held in April or May as the Nepali calendar year for the fifth year of the five-year term of the House starts in mid-April.
He claimed that holding the federal election in April-May would not be against the Supreme Court (SC) verdict—that reinstated the House dissolved for the second time by KP Sharma Oli and ordered to appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister (PM) pointing that the House should complete the five-year term—arguing that there seems to be no resolution to the current deadlock with UML adamant on continuing House obstruction despite repeated efforts by the ruling coalition and government.
"PM said he should go to Balkot (Oli's residence) and talk. But the deadlock remains as it is despite that. The House has been taken hostage in this situation. This should be resolved," he stressed. "It would not be violation of the SC verdict if the House says it would be appropriate to go for election as the calendar year for election has started."
He said there would be no problem if the ruling coalition decides to hold it early pointing that UML has always wanted an early federal election. "No one in the ruling coalition feels this proposal is wrong. We have decided to hold internal discussion in each party. I am confident that we will come together at the same place after the coalition parties thinking about it."
When asked if he proposed to hold general election before local election for the benefit of Maoist Center and CPN (Unified Socialist) feeling that poor performance of the two parties in the local election can be detrimental, and the two parties can perform better if the general election is held earlier when the ruling coalition is still intact, he claimed that he has proposed early general election solely to end the current deadlock.
He also argued that holding local election in November-December would not be against the Constitution pointing that Article 225 of the Constitution clearly states that the term of local governments will be five years and the next election will have to be held within six months of the expiry of the term.
The act related to local election, however, states that the local election should be held two months before expiry of the five year term.
Dahal argued that the Constitution prevails if provision of other laws contradict the Constituion and holding local election in November-December will not be violation of the Constitution.
