Kathmandu — Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki has held her first major meeting with political parties, more than a month after taking charge of the government. The discussion, held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday, is seen as a significant step toward preparations for the national election scheduled for February 21.
Political Dialogue, Reactions, and Government’s Response
Leaders from several political parties questioned why the government waited so long to open formal talks. “The interim government’s main responsibility is to conduct elections. Why did it take over a month to begin discussions with the parties?” asked Pradeep Gyawali, deputy general secretary of the CPN-UML. He said the delay had created confusion among both political actors and the public.
Prime Minister Karki said the delay was due to the need to handle sensitive post-protest issues before engaging in politics. “Our first duty was to ensure medical care for the injured, manage the funerals of martyrs, and provide relief to their families,” she explained. “We had to listen to the voices of those involved in the protests before moving toward dialogue.”
She added that, in the beginning, many Gen-Z youth were hesitant to sit down with political parties.
Karki credited President Ramchandra Paudel for helping restore trust between the youth movement and political leaders. “It was the President’s effort that opened the door for dialogue between both sides,” she said.
The Prime Minister reiterated that her government is determined to hold a free, fair, and peaceful election. “All state institutions — ministers, security forces, and the administration — are working around the clock to ensure a credible and safe election,” she said.
Participants and Outcome of the Meeting
Representing the government were Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal, Energy Minister Kulman Ghising, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, Communications Minister Jagdish Kharel, Agriculture Minister Madan Pariyar, and Chief Advisor Ajay Bhadra Khanal.
From the political parties, Gagan Thapa and Prakash Sharan Mahat attended on behalf of the Nepali Congress; Shankar Pokhrel and Pradeep Gyawali from the CPN-UML; Barshaman Pun and Pampha Bhusal from the Maoist Centre; Swarnim Wagle and Sobita Gautam from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP); Rajendra Pandey and Prakash Jwala from the CPN (Unified Socialist); and Upendra Yadav from the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP).
Also present were Sarbendra Nath Shukla of the LSP, Prem Suwal of NEMKIPA, and independent lawmakers Resham Chaudhary and Chandan Singh. Sources said the discussion ended positively, with participants agreeing that cooperation among all sides is crucial to ensuring a credible election.
“We may hold different opinions, but our common goal is to strengthen democracy,” Prime Minister Karki was quoted as saying.
