CPN (Maoist Centre) Secretariat member and former Finance Minister Barshaman Pun has said that there is no alternative to successfully conducting the elections scheduled for March 5 (Falgun 21).
Speaking at a tea reception program organized in Bhaktapur on Tuesday on the occasion of Tihar, Nepal Sambat, and Chhath festival, Pun said that his party would support the government in making the election successful. He urged parties including the Nepali Congress and UML to prepare for the polls.
“There is no alternative to holding elections on the declared date to bring the constitution back on the right track,” said Pun. “We are committed to the election and urge other parties to stand in favor of it.” He informed that he and leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha had recently clarified their party’s stance on elections during a meeting with Prime Minister Sushila Karki.
“The Prime Minister had invited us. Comrade Narayan Kaji and I went and clearly stated that we are in favor of elections. We said we will help create the environment for elections, but others must also contribute,” Pun added. “Today, the Prime Minister has called a meeting of seven national parties. We will participate and reiterate the same position.”
Pun said that the Gen-Z protest of 23rd Asoj was justified, but the violence that occurred on 24th Asoj was carried out by infiltrators, not by the Gen-Z protesters. He demanded that the government take action against those involved in both criminal incidents of those two days.
According to him, the explosion of public anger seen through the Gen-Z movement was a result of widespread frustration caused by the corrupt and middleman-driven two-thirds government of KP Sharma Oli formed by the Congress and UML alliance in the dissolved House of Representatives.
Pun stated that people took to the streets under the leadership of the younger generation against Oli’s autocracy, authoritarianism, and corrupt character. He said that despite repeated calls from the Maoists for reform and understanding people’s concerns, the government ignored them, leading to an unavoidable eruption of dissatisfaction.
Pun recalled that Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had earlier warned that millions of people could surround Singha Durbar and Baluwatar if public dissatisfaction continued to be ignored. However, he condemned some forces for now trying to accuse the Maoists of involvement in the Singha Durbar arson attempt by twisting that statement.
He stressed the need to investigate all corruption and irregularities of the past and said that his party was ready to cooperate in any fair investigation process. He claimed that while being in the government, his party had never engaged in activities that would disgrace its leaders, cadres, supporters, or voters.
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