Home minister Shitaula proposes two-phase election as election approaches

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 30 March: Home Minister Krishna Prasad Shitaula has unofficially proposed two-phase elections to CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist Chairman Prachanda over telephone, Annapurna Post reports quoting an unidentified source in its Sunday.
Nepal told Shitaula the prime minister offer should be discuss the proposal with leaders of seven parties.
Prachanda rejected the offer and said the one-day election should be held 10 April.
Prime minister, chief election commissioner and security chiefs Thursday discussed two-phase elections Thursday.
Meanwhile, Congress Acting president Sushil Koirala and Minister of State for Home and deputy of Shitaula have also said publicly Nepal Army may be mobilized for the vote.

[Note: Nepal has already proposed phase-wise elections during electioneering. Election is just 11 days away as the security situation deteriorates every day. CPN-UML candidates have suspended electioneering in Nuwakot and returned to district headquarters in Dolakha after Maoist violence in the two districts. But the prime minister says vote will be held as scheduled. Chairman Prachanda has also suspended campaigning outside the Valley as the party said the party’s life in threatened.]
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