Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has once again made it clear that there was no alternative than to go for a fresh election in order to resolve the political crisis in the country at a time when the Constituent Assembly has come to an end without producing a new constitution. Addressing a function organised to mark the 5th Republic Day in Kathmandu on Monday, Prime Minister Bhattatrai apologised to the people for not being able to promulgate the new constitution and opting to announce a fresh poll. The prime minister’s remarks are a testament of his sincerity towards the country and the people and his genuine efforts towards averting a possible political crisis.

The decision to announce fresh elections is not the choice of the Bhattarai-led government but a compulsion. Prime Minister Bhattarai was indeed serious about writing the constitution and giving the country a new constitution in time, for which he had expedited the process right from the time he was elected the country’s executive head. Several contentious issues were resolved during his tenure as prime minister, which had made the people optimistic of a new constitution, peace, stability and prosperity in the country. The hitch in constitution writing was created by the other parties, mainly the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, because these two parties did not want the constitution writing task to complete under the Maoist leadership. These two parties gave priority to their own partisan interest rather than the interest of the country and the people. Thus, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML are primarily responsible for the present political situation, which left the government with the only option of announcing fresh elections.

The government chose the most democratic way because elections are the best way to seek the people’s opinion and verdict. Those who have faith in democracy and the democratic system must accept and face the election. Now that the elections have already been declared, all the political parties must utilise it for the consolidation of the democratic process. It is only through an election that the people take part in the political process and governance. All the political forces of the country now need to make sincere contribution to successfully and peacefully conducting the elections which would give the country a new political outlet and end the ongoing transition. The four years of the last Constituent Assembly have served as a valuable experience for the political parties, from which they need to learn important lessons and conclude the peace process. This is no time to trade charges but to cooperate with one another for the peaceful conduct of the elections.