He said natural disasters have pushed the country into a national crisis and the situation can be dealt with only if the major political forces work together setting aside interparty differences.
"The nature and the gravity of the works that needs to be carried out require a national unity government with a strong leadership that can bring all the political forces and other actors together," Bhattarai told some select representatives from various walks of life at the Summit Hotel, Lalitpur on Friday.Former Prime Minister Bhattarai said the changed context demands that major political parties have to "set aside their political differences at least for some years".
He also underscored the need for an all-powerful national reconstruction authority for carrying out the task of rebuilding destroyed infrastructures. "A powerful authority has become necessary because we have to carry out the historic tasks of reconstruction and rehabilitation and it requires investment of billions of dollars," he explained.
Leaders from various political parties attending the gathering seconded Bhattarai's proposal.
CPN-UML Secretary Pradeep Gyawali said national unity government has become necessary to address the present crisis.
"A national unity government can make a breakthrough in transforming the country and be instrumental in solving the crisis," said Gyawali.
Vice-chairman of Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Democratic Jitendra Dev said the country needs broad-based national unity government with participation from major political forces for three reasons -- to solve earthquake-born crisis, to produce a new statute and to hold local elections. "The sooner we form such a coalition the better," he said.
However, noted experts present there were not much impressed by the leaders' recent proposal to change the government.
"First, political leaders should have clear vision and agenda for forming a national unity government and what they intend to do after formation of such a government," said Professor Pitamber Sharma. "And, they also should convince the people how they can bring all the forces together."
Similarly, Professor Krishna Khanal said he wasn't much impressed by the idea as the present political leadership was bereft of new and broad vision.
"I find the political leaders' recent remarks nothing more than mere rhetoric as their proposals are guided by sentiment," he said.
Bhattarai's proposal on unity government has come at a time when top leaders from major political parties have been holding a series of parleys over the issue for the last couple of days.
CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli had expressed similar views at a function in Kathmandu on Thursday.
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