POLICEMAN COMMITS SUICIDE IN BIRTHAMOD Kathmandu, 17 Sept.: Policeman Roshan Dahal committed suicide overnight inside the premises of the security agency in Birthamod, Jhapa. His body was found hanging from a pipal tree. The reason for the suicide wasn’t immediately known. nnnn PRESIDENT TELLS PARTIES TO GO FOR CA ELECTION Kathmandu, 17 Sept : Concerned over the failure of parties to chart out future political course to resolve the ongoing impasse, President Ram Baran Yadav has asked major political parties including United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) to forge consensus with urgency to hold a fresh Constituent Assembly (CA) election, Kosh Raj Koirala writes in Republica. In his meeting with the top leaders of UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the UDMF at his office in Shital Niwas on Sunday morning, President asked the parties to forge consensus to hold the CA election as the country was in dire need of a new constitution. "The president made the request as the current constitutional status is to hold the fresh CA election." said the president´s press advisor Rajendra Dahal. Dahal said since the cabinet decision to hold the CA election on November 22 has not been revoked yet the only suggestion president can make in his capacity as the patron of the constitution is to ask the parties to hold the fresh CA election. "The country and people are in need of a new constitution. The president has made the request amid failure of the parties to make adequate preparations to hold the CA election," he said. Yadav had shared his deep concerns over the prolonged political deadlock and the negative consequences it might invite in the country in the meeting with Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC President Sushil Koirala, UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and UDMF Coordinator Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar. "The president has clearly asked the parties to first create an environment of minimum national consensus, form national consensus government and then hold the CA election," Dahal told Republica. Though he asked the parties to hold the CA election at the earliest, the president has not given any deadline for that. So far, the president had been asking the parties to forge consensus at the earliest without categorically mentioning what they should do. "The president has moved a step ahead now," Dahal further said. The president also told the parties that he was ready to remove the constitutional difficulties to hold the CA election as per the suggestions of political parties. "First, you remove my difficulties," UDMF Coordinator Gachchhadar quoted president as saying. "I will then remove the constitutional difficulties and pass ordinances as per the request of the parties." The request of President´s Office comes in the wake of major political parties holding negotiations on whether they can agree on the option of CA revival after settling all contentious issues of new statute as per the deal reached on May 15. Asked if it was the conclusion of President´s Office that parties won´t be able to agree on CA revival option, Dahal said, "It is a different matter altogether if the parties came up with a new alternative. But the current constitutional status is to hold the fresh CA election." The major political parties are now under pressure to forge consensus following the categorical request of the president to forge consensus on holding fresh CA election. A meeting of the three major parties and the UDMF held at Special Committee Secretariat in New Baneshwor later in the afternoon reached an understanding to go for the CA revival only if there was an agreement on all contentious issues including on system of governance and future federal model. They have also agreed to devote two more days for making last ditch efforts for resolving the contentious issues, concluding that CA revival would be the best possible alternative to promulgate a new statute. NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula said the parties will decide whether to go for CA revival or fresh CA election after making last ditch efforts to forge consensus on the contentious issues of new statute till Tuesday. "We will hold bilateral, trilateral and multilateral meetings. We will soon reach a conclusion on whether we can resolve the contentious issues of new statute that could pave way for the CA revival," he told media persons after the meeting. Maoist Spokesperson Agni Sapkota said the parties were scheduled to hold another round of talks on Tuesday morning. "We have decided to make efforts to forge consensus on issues like federalism and system of governance," he said, adding that consensus is a must for CA revival or the CA election. nnnn