PM Deuba to summon all-party meeting

KATHMANDU, Dec 17: Following a meeting with one of the coalition partners, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is preparing to summon an all-party meeting. 

Chairman of CPN (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and PM Deuba held a meeting at the Baluwatar-based official residence of the prime minister on Friday morning. 

Two leaders agreed to move ahead after holding discussions with all the political parties over two major issues ---- prolonged House obstruction by the CPN-UML and the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a United States government program. 

According to the secretariat of Prachanda, Deuba is preparing to call an all-party meeting over the burning issues next Sunday or Monday--- before the next scheduled meeting of the House of Representatives on December 21. 

The main opposition UML has been obstructing the House meeting since September 8. Though a new session kicked off on Tuesday, the meeting could not enter into normal businesses owing to the UML obstruction.

UML has been blaming Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota for the latter's ‘biased act’ by not taking action against 14 lawmakers which the party had sacked in August. 

Meanwhile, the government is reportedly preparing to table the MCC in the House meeting. However, the coalition partners of the five-party ruling alliance are at odds on whether or not to table the compact. 

The Maoist party has been stressing the need for forging a common understanding among the ruling partners before presenting the compact for ratification.