KATHMANDU, Dec 28: Top leaders of the country’s three major political parties have called for a conducive and secure environment to hold the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) elections, reaffirming their commitment to participate in the polls scheduled for March 5.
The call came during a meeting held on Saturday at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar, where Prime Minister Sushila Karki held discussions with leaders of the three major parties from the dissolved HoR. Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Communist Party Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal attended the meeting.
During the discussions, Prime Minister Karki said the government was actively working to create all necessary conditions for free, fair and peaceful elections and urged political parties to cooperate in making the polls a success. According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Karki appealed to the leaders to move forward with the election process, reiterating the government’s commitment to ensuring a favourable electoral environment.
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“All three leaders conveyed their readiness for elections, and the atmosphere for holding the polls is taking shape,” the Secretariat quoted the prime minister as saying, describing the development as positive and encouraging.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, NC President Deuba said there was a broad political consensus on going to elections. “All political parties are ready to go to elections,” he said, adding, however, that the government still needed to create a fully conducive environment for the polls.
Dahal clearly stated during the meeting that the election should be held on the scheduled date without deviation. “He stressed that the March 5 election should not be shifted and also appreciated the government’s efforts, given the special circumstances under which it is functioning,” said Minister for Information and Communication Technology Jagadish Kharel, who is also the government spokesperson.
Kharel also said Deuba clarified that the NC’s priority has shifted from the restoration of parliament to holding elections. “He said elections are now the party’s main priority,” he added.
Similarly, UML Chair Oli urged the government to ensure a conducive political and security environment for the polls. “Oli said he is ready to go to elections and emphasized the need to create the necessary environment,” Kharel said.
Minister Kharel said the meeting has given clarity on whether the elections will be held. “The government is ready to ensure a conducive environment and security guarantees for elections. There is now a clear answer—the elections will take place,” he said.
Kharel further noted that the discussions also dispelled doubts about the participation of political parties in the polls. “It is now clear that all political parties will take part in the elections,” he said.
