By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Mar. 17: A meeting held with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, top leaders of the major political parties and former Prime Ministers Tuesday as summoned by President Bidya Devi Bhandari concluded exchanging views on the current political situation.
During the meeting held at the President’s office, Sheetal Niwas, President Bhandari stressed the need for effective implementation of the constitution and strengthening of democracy in an environment where the political beauty of the country is reflected on establishing mutual dialogue, cooperation and unity among the parties.
The President said, “Our society has remained decent, civilised and tolerant. The leadership here has always maintained a high political culture. This good culture must continue”.
According to a statement issued by the President Office, the President thanked the leaders of all the parties for holding an all-party meeting in connection with unprecedented national unity demonstrated by the parties last May to publish a new political map covering the encroached territory of Nepal.
The President also discussed the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s economy, education, health, tourism and other sectors.
President Bhandari urged the top leaders to continue dialogue and discussion on various issues of national life including education, health, economy, drinking water, climate change and people’s livelihood.
On the occasion, the President also informed the top leaders that she had received a friendly invitation from her counterpart from Bangladesh to attend the event to be held in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on the occasion of the birth centenary of father of the nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and to pay a state visit to Bangladesh in the near future.
However, Chitra Bahadur KC, chairman of Rastriya Janamorcha, said Prime Minister Oli, who is also the chairman of the ruling party CPN-UML, at the meeting expressed his view that there is no alternative to going for a new mandate through elections.
During the meeting, PM Oli maintained that his decision to dissolve the House of Representatives was not wrong and the country should go for a fresh mandate, KC said.
At the meeting, PM Oli, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Presidents of Janata Samajwadi Party Mahanta Thakur and Upendra Yadav and leader Rajendra Mahato were present.
Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokhrel, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Subash Chandra Nembang, Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, senior leader of Nepali Congress Ramchandra Paudel, Bimalendra Nidhi, Dr. Shashank Koirala, Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Dev Prasad Gurung, were present.
Former Chairman of the Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi was also present on the occasion. Likewise, Rashtriya Prajatantra Party President Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, Chairman of Rastriya Janamorcha Chitra Bahadur KC and leader Janak Raj Sharma, leader of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party Prem Suwal were also present.