CPN-M for dialogue --

KATHMANDU, NOV 20 – After people defied the general strike called by the CPN-Maoist -led alliance and voted on Tuesday, the poll-opposing parties called for fresh consensus among the parties. The bloc said the second Constituent Assembly (CA) election cannot guarantee a new constitution and end the current political stalemate. “There is no alternative to negotiations and cooperation among the political parties,” a statement issued by the alliance here on Tuesday said. The Mohan Baidya-led alliance, however, claimed that its poll boycott was ‘largely successful’ and accused the government of holding an ‘authoritative election ’ by abusing state power and repressing the voice of the dissidents.
CPN-M Vice-chairman CP Gajurel said the election has further taken the country towards a crisis. In the statement, CPN-M Secretary Dev Gurung said the anti- election campaign remained successful despite the government’s widespread repression on the ‘peaceful protests of the parties protesting the politics of exclusion.’ Asked if his party takes the responsibility of bomb attacks on innocent citizens, Gajurel said his party has no policy of attacking citizens. He accused ‘other elements’ of conspiring to tarnish his party’s image.