Kathmandu, 24 Dec: The first formal dialogue between Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the leaders of the three major parties from the dissolved House of Representatives has taken place. The meeting, held at Sheetal Niwas and coordinated by President Ram Chandra Paudel, occurred 101 days after the government was formed. In the talks, the party leaders stressed that the primary responsibility for creating an environment conducive to elections lies with the government.
CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli criticized the government for failing to maintain peace and security. He accused the government of simultaneously inviting parties to elections while intimidating their leaders, questioning its true intentions. Oli claimed the government was trying to suppress parties, citing restrictions placed on him and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and stated the government had not prepared a fair election atmosphere. “Weapons looted from the police are still out there. The country’s security situation is complex. Are political parties and leaders in a position to freely engage in election campaigns?” he was quoted as saying by his secretariat, which added that UML is ready to participate if conditions for elections are met.
Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba also urged the government to ensure peace and security for the polls. “First, the security arrangements must be good. Leaders, candidates, and voters must feel safe,” Deuba said. CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal emphasized the need for reliable security and for the government to gain the trust of established parties. “If elections are not held on the declared date, the country’s political crisis could deepen. We are already preparing for elections,” he said, warning that if major parties boycott, regressive forces could create further crisis. “The government should create the environment; we are ready to go to the polls.”
All three leaders objected to the government’s withdrawal of their personal security personnel, alleging government indifference towards the safety of the top leaders from the previous election’s major parties. Following the security reductions, Oli and Dahal have been moving around with teams from the National Volunteer Force and the Young Communist League, respectively.
In response, PM Karki stated her primary focus is holding elections on schedule. “In this difficult situation, we all must be responsible. We must unite to make the election a success. The government is fully committed to holding elections,” she said.
President Paudel highlighted that the responsibility for a successful House of Representatives election lies with both the government and political parties, urging all to focus on this goal. “Elections were announced to provide an outlet during this serious and sensitive national situation. Considering this gravity, working for a successful election is our sole collective responsibility,” he said.
While the Maoist Centre has consistently been in favor of elections, and the Congress has decided to participate, many of its former MPs have petitioned the Supreme Court demanding the reinstatement of the House. The UML has prioritized the House’s restoration, filing a writ petition to that effect, but its leaders have stated they would not boycott elections if a fair, fear-free, and credible environment is established.
The UML has been the most critical of the Karki government since its formation, with Chairman Oli repeatedly calling it unconstitutional and challenging the House dissolution in the Supreme Court. The party insists the government’s legitimacy must be tested in court. In turn, the government, based on a probe commission’s recommendations, has restricted Oli’s travel without permission and barred him from foreign trips.
Despite the current distrust between Karki and Oli, the situation was different eight years ago. When Congress and UML MPs filed an impeachment motion against then-Chief Justice Karki in 2017, the UML had protested, formally deciding that the motion was moved with bad intentions by the Congress-Maoist government and demanding its withdrawal. The motion was later invalidated by the Supreme Court. However, the distance between Oli and Karki grew after the latter became PM following the “People’s War” protests, which led to Oli’s exit from government.
This meeting also marked the first talks between Deuba, Oli, and Dahal since Karki became PM. Prior contacts were only bilateral. According to the President’s press advisor, Kiran Pokharel, an understanding was reached between the government and major parties to create an election environment, with detailed discussions to be held later at the PM’s residence. The nearly two-and-a-half-hour meeting was preceded by ministerial visits to the central offices of the three parties—which were recently vandalized—seen as a government effort to build trust. The ministers reiterated the government’s commitment to successful elections, noting that an electoral atmosphere is being created.
