Parties near majority govt

KATHMANDU, FEB 03 - After Nepali Congress (NC), the largest party in the Constituent Assembly, failed to garner support to install a consensus government by Sunday, political parties are likely to approve the formation of a majority government and will start fresh negotiations from Monday.

NC party President and Parliamentary Party leader Sushil Koirala is now being touted as the likely PM candidate in the House.  

President Ram Baran Yadav is preparing to request the formation of a majority government on Monday as per Article 38 (2) of the Interim Constitution, said the Office of the President.

Several attempts to form a consensus government led by the NC have failed, and the party has now concluded that it will be best to form a majority government .

Top NC leaders said that the second largest party in the CA, the CPN-UML, is a natural partner for a majority government and that both sides will hold serious deliberations for power-sharing from Monday.

Our first priority goes to the UML to form a coalition government , said senior NC leader, Sher Bahadur Deuba.

“‘Consensus’ has become something of a buzz word in Nepal”, said NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel, adding that talks with the UML will now be focused, and the allocation of respectable positions to the party will proceed.

But managing the issue of power-sharing remains a tall order for the NC and UML. The NC is embroiled in intra-party power struggles, while the UML clarifies its position for future negotiations. “Definitely, the UML will seek respectable positions in a majority government ,” said UML Chairman, Jhala Nath Khanal after the all-party meeting.

NC President Sushil Koirala, who is also the sole prime ministerial candidate at present, called President Ram Baran Yadav on Sunday and made clear that the chances of forming a consensus government have ended, asking him to call for a majority government according to the constitutional provision.

A last-ditch effort to form a consensus government with the support of all 29 political parties in the House ended Sunday after the UPCN (Maoist), the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N), and the Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum decided to stay in opposition.

“We requested NC and UML to form a government and we offered them all possible help”, said Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, adding that his party will sit in opposition and play a constructive and responsible role. “But NC and UML have not done adequate homework for government formation,” he added.

Only 16 out of 29 parties have extended their support to the NC-led government while the rest offered their best wishes to the NC during a meeting called by the party.

The NC has informed the Parliament Secretariat and the President’s Office that the prospect of forming a consensus government has faded.

The UML has extended support for the NC’s bid to lead the next government , though both sides are yet to reach an agreement on power-sharing.

“The Maoists and the RPP-N rejected being part of the new government so the prospect of a consensus government remains elusive. We have now decided to go for a majority government as an alternative,” said NC leader Minendra Rijal.

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