UPDATE PARTIES PRESENT CONDITIONS FOR CONSENSUS Kathmandu, 11 Aug.: Although the top political leaders have been stating that there is no alternative to a consensus to break the political deadlock in the country, they have reiterated their conditions for forging consensus, RSS reports from Lalitpur. . During the National Political Interaction Program organized by the CPN-Maoist at Sanepa on Saturday, the political leaders reiterated their stances for consensus. Chairman of UCPN (Maoist) Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that there was no alternative to a consensus among the political parties to end the existing political crisis in the country. He was in line of seeking efforts for consensus through the reinstatement of the dissolved Constituent Assembly (CA). "The CA was dissolved just because of the Nepali Congress and CPN (UML)," he said, adding that these parties have no alternative except to supporting the ethnic-identity based federalism. The Congress would not get an opportunity to lead the next government in the absence of an agreement on the CA reinstatement, said Dahal. "The Congress could get a chance to lead the next agreement as per the five-point agreement if the CA is revived. But, an election government under the leadership of any party or an independent candidate can be formed if the situation for going for fresh polls appears," he added. Similarly, CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal stated that there is no alternative for parties to forging a consensus and opined for forming the government of national consensus. Stating that trust deficit among the political parties is mounting, Khanal stressed that political parties should make an environment conducive for maintaining trust among them. Likewise, NC Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel underlined the need of seeking fresh consensus on the basis of the past agreement. "Let´s seek a fresh agreement through the five-point, seven-point and gentlemen agreements," he said. Accusing the ruling parties of promoting political dishonesty, making an alliance in the name of federalism, he said such trend would increase the political rift. Likewise, CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya called for seeking a new national consensus from the roundtable conference. "The nation will plunge into the conflict again if the parliamentary election is held." Similarly, Chairman of Rastriya Janashakti Party Surya Bahadur Thapa underscored the need of ending transition in the country as quickly as possible. Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal Pashupati Shamser Rana opined for downsizing the number of CA members if the next CA election is conducted. Ratneswhor Kayastha of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal, Raj Lal Yadav of MJF Nepal (Republic ) and Chairman of CPN ( Maoist ) Matrika Yadav pointed out the possible risk of political confrontations in the country in the absence of consensus among the parties. Nnnn ________________________________________ 41 KILLED IN NORTH INDIA BUS CRASH Kathmandu, 11 Aug. 11: At least 41 people were killed when a passenger bus plunged into a gorge on Saturday in a mountainous region of north India, an official said. AFP reports from Shimla. The bus skidded off the road in a sparsely populated, hilly area of the state of Himachal Pradesh, district deputy commissioner Sunil Chaudhary told AFP. "So far, we have confirmed 41 dead and 17 injured in the accident in which the bus fell into a gorge that was 250 feet (76 metres) deep," Chaudhary said. The accident occurred near Chamba district, a mountainous region some 191 kilometres (119 miles) from state capital Shimla. The cause of the accident was not immediately known. India has the highest annual road death toll in the world, according to a 2009 World Health Organization report, with accidents caused by speeding, careless driving and poor roads. Three days earlier, 31 people were killed when a passenger bus tumbled into a gorge in Meghalaya state in India´s remote northeast with police saying the bus driver appeared to have been driving recklessly in rainy weather. nnnn