Power-sharing negotiation only after CA formation

KATHMANDU, DEC 23 -
Three major political parties—Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist)—have agreed in principle to discuss power-sharing issues only after the formation of the new Constituent Assembly.

The parties also agreed to submit the lists of their proportional representation (PR) candidates by December 25, the new deadline set by the Election Commission.

More than a month after the election, the CA has not been formed owing to the parties’ failure to submit their PR lists. Last week, the Election Commission extended the submission deadline for the second time upon the parties’ request.

The agreement to meet the deadline, leaders say, means some sort of solution will be sought to issues raised by the UCPN (Maoist), including independent probe into the alleged vote rigging.

The CA formation is taking time also because the NC and the UML are in a stalemate over power-sharing. Leaders said they agreed to put power-sharing negotiations on hold until the CA is formed as there would be a legitimate body to address some of the demands raised by the Maoists. The UCPN (Maoist) has responded positively to the NC’s proposal to set up a parliamentary body to look into the alleged election irregularities.

For the last two weeks, the NC and the UML have been struggling to find an agreeable power-sharing model for government formation.

The UML wants the top five posts of President, Vice President, prime minister, Speaker and chairman of the CA’s Constitutional Committee shared among the three parties. The NC is reluctant to replace incumbent President Ram Baran Yadav with a new one. Yadav, an NC lawmaker, was elected the head of state in 2008 after the first CA election.

The Maoist party, on the other hand, has set some preconditions to joining the Assembly. At the three-party talks on Sunday, the party demanded an independent commission before it could finalise and submit its PR lawmakers’ list. “We have not refused to submit the PR list to the Election Commission but our demand for probe commission should be addressed first,” said Maoist leader Post Bahadur Bogati.

The Maoist party has  also sought prior agreement on key constitutional issues such as federalism and form of governance, cross-party political mechanism, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

NC and UML have urged Maoist leaders to let the CA take shape for discussing any issues within the body. “CA formation is the need of hour and these issues will be discussed in the elected body once it is constituted,” said UML leader Raghuji Panta. NC and UML hope the Maoists will also submit their list of PR seat winning candidates within the deadline.

“Since the second deadline extension came at the Maoists’ request, they will live up to their word,” said Panta.


3-party deal

NC, UML to submit final lists of PR candidates by Dec 5    Maoists to submit their list if major parties agree on a commission to probe 'electoral fraud'

NC sets criteria for PR candidate selection

UML meeting on Monday to pick candidates

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