Businessmen pressurise PM to forge consensus at the earliest.

KATHMANDU, May 9 -- Representatives of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) and Nepal Chambers of Commerce (NCC) met Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at the latter's residence in Baluwtara on Sunday.

The umbrella body of Neplease business fraternity have been taking initiatives to bring the major political parties together for the much-desired political consensus in absence of which the entire nation has been taken hostage.

During the meeting, FNCCI President Kush Kumar Joshi requested PM Nepal to find a way out of the political deadlock, said Prime Minister's Press Advisor Bishnu Rijal.

In response, Prime Minister Nepal, thanking the private sector for their efforts to end the general strike called by the Maoists, said that he is trying to forge consensus among the three major parties.

Also at the meeting, a delegation drew the attention of the prime minister towards the elongated deadlock and urged him to do the needful to end the present political crisis, Rijal informed.

On the occassion, PM Nepal reiterated that he is always ready for consensus adding that the ongoing deadlock will be resolved if the UCPN (Maoist) combatants are integrated and the para-military structure of its youth wing Young Communist League is dismantled.

He also said the political crisis will also be resolved if consensus is forged in the main two agendas.

"They (Maoists) while being in the government for nine months did nothing for integration and management of PLA combatants and when others took the charge they are non-cooperative," the Prime Minister said.

Responding to Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal's remark that the ball is in the government's court, the Prime Minister said, "I am taking this positively. The government is ready to solve problems through talks and collaboration."

Prime Minister Nepal said that the parliament is the place to seek solution to any political problem and added that he would not bow down before street protests. He also said that the government has not used force against Maoist agitators.

The business community had also organised a decisive debate among big three parties on April 28 in a bid to bring the major parties together so that the constitution is drafted on time and the peace process taken to a logical end.

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