Communist electoral alliance unnatural: Congress

Kathmandu - The ruling Nepali Congress has described the electoral alliance among the communist parties on the eve of elections as an 'unnatural step'. 

A meeting of the senior central members of the party held at the Prime Minister's official residence at Baluwatar on Tuesday took the electoral alliance and unification initiative between CPN-UML, CPN (MC) and the Naya Shakti parties as unnatural, NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi said. This unity among the communist parties may even affect the elections, he said while claiming that the current coalition would hold the elections. 

Leader Nidhi also said that the decision of the ruling party, CPN (MC) was a big historical mistake, and that the party would face a big damage politically. He shared that Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had met Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba this morning, where the Prime Minister had proposed for continuity of the current coalition in the upcoming elections. 

However, Chairman Dahal met the Prime Minister again at around 3:00 in the afternoon and shared his decision to instead forge an alliance with the UML and take the initiative for a communist unification. Prime Minister Deuba and other senior leaders commented that Chairman Dahal's decision to continue to remain in the government but collaborate with the opposition in the coming elections was unnatural. 

Prime Minister and NC President Deuba was joined by senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel, leaders Prakash Man Singh, Purna Bahadur Khadka, Ram Sharan Mahat, Bimalendra Nidhi, Minendra Rijal, Mahesh Acharya, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Prakash Sharan Mahat among others in the meeting. 

Following the recent political developments, the Prime Minister also held consultations with Federal Socialist Forum Chair Upendra Yadav, RPP Chair Kamal Thapa, President of Nepal Democratic Forum Bijaya Kumar Gachchadar and is scheduled to meet with RPP-Democratic Chair Pashupati Shumsher Rana, Rastriya Janata Party Nepal Chair Mahantha Thakur and other leaders tommorrow. 

"Today's communist electoral alliance has posed a senior challenge to Nepal's democratic and nationalist forces while also providing them an opportunity to come together", leader Nidhi said. 

Meanwhile, the ruling Nepali Congress has summoned a central work execution committee meeting for tomorrow to discuss the latest political situation.