HoR election a competition between extremist and nationalist forces: Prachanda

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Feb. 26: Coordinator of the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has viewed that the upcoming election to the House of Representatives (HoR) will be a competition between two forces, one the extremist and the other progressive nationalist.

At a press meet at his party office today in Paris Danda, Coordinator Prachanda said, "Basically, three attitudes are in the fray- two extremists and one nationalist. By two extremist attitudes, I mean those who caused the murder of September 8 and have even today not taken moral responsibility for that and the other one is the force which caused destruction of September 9. And there is the third attitude which denounced both types of extremism and took a nationalist, progressive stand. We, the NCP, represent the nationalist force."

He said that the NCP has stood against the extremist attitudes that caused the incident of killing of protestors on September 8 and the attitudes that caused the destruction and arson on September 9.

Coordinator Prachanda said that the incident of killing of protesters on September 8 was the result of the arrogance of the two-third majority of the then ruling parties.

On destruction and arson of various government offices and private business as well as houses on September 9, Coordinator Prachanda attributed the incident to infiltration of extremists in the Gen Z movement.

We have stood against these two extremist attitudes and forces from the beginning while embracing genuine demands of good governance and anti-corruption drive as raised during the Gen Z movement, he said.

The NCP coordinator expressed hope that the people will vote for the force which has stood and worked against corruption. "While in government, we took steps against corruption and for good governance. We are for sovereignty, independence and national unity, good governance, social justice and prosperity."

Dismissing rumours about electoral alliance that have surfaced in social media, NCP coordinator Prachanda, also former Prime Minister, said that the NCP has not formed any electoral alliance with any party nor will it do. "We, the NCP, are the first major party which supported the HoR election when it was announced. Now, the country is into the poll. From the first day, we announced we will not form electoral alliance and we have not done so except for one constituency in Baglung."

On the occasion, leader Prachanda also claimed that the NCP is likely to be the largest political force after the poll if the party rank and file worked harder to make people aware of the situation and importance of the NCP.

"If the nationalist force win the election, there will be a positive situation and if the extremist forces win it, the country will suffer," he said.

He predicted that given the electoral and governance system the country has, there will be hung parliament even after the HoR election scheduled for March 5.

Coordinator Prachanda said main competition in the HoR poll will be among four parties, such as, the NCP, CPN (UML), Nepali Congress (NC) and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).

The former Prime Minister urged all to hold the election in a free, fair and impartial atmosphere. "The people, EC, security forces, bureaucracy and even judiciary, and media all have shared responsibility to make the poll a success because the poll is not being held in a regular schedule but after an unprecedented event of Gen Z movement in September".