In a dramatic turn of events in Nepal on Sunday, the opposition CPN-UML and other smaller parties have extended their support to Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, chairman of the CPN-Maoist Centre , who will be the next Prime Minister of Nepal.
In a key meeting of the opposition CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist Centre, Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and other smaller parties led by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, it was agreed to form the government under the leadership of ‘Prachanda’.
Gurung, general secretary of CPN-MC Deb, said that CPN-UML, CPN-MC and other parties will claim Prachanda as prime minister at the President’s office ‘Sheetal Niwas’ with signatures of 165 MPs under Article 76(2) of the Constitution.
He said that a Memorandum of Understanding is being prepared for handing over to the President.
The meeting was attended by Oli, Prachanda, RSP president Ravi Lamichhane, Rashtriya Prajatantra Party chief Rajendra Lingden, Janata Coordinating Party president Ashok Rai and others at Oli’s residence in Balakot.
There was an agreement between Prachanda and Oli to lead the government on rotation basis. Oli agreed to make Prachanda the first prime minister, as per his demand.
The new coalition has the support of 165 MPs in the 275-member House of Representatives, with 78 votes for CPN-UML, 32 for CPN-MC, 20 for RSP, 14 for RPP, 12 for JSP, 6 for Janmat and 3 for Civil Immunity Party. have met. Nepali Congress failed to form government
CPN-UML general secretary Shankar Pokharel told reporters after the meeting that the Nepali Congress, as the single largest party, failed to form a government under its leadership as per Article 76(2) of the Constitution within the presidential deadline.
Now the CPN-UML has taken the initiative to form a new government under the leadership of Prachanda with the support of 165 MPs.
Earlier in the day, Prachanda walked out of the five-party coalition led by the Nepali Congress after the Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba refused to accede to their demands.
Deuba and Prachanda had earlier reached a tacit understanding to head the new government by turns.
Maoist sources said that during talks with Prachanda at PM House on Sunday morning, the Nepali Congress staked claim for both the key posts of President and Prime Minister, which was rejected by Prachanda, resulting in failure of the talks.
The Nepali Congress offered the post of president to the Maoist party, which was rejected by Prachanda.
Shah said earlier in the day, “The alliance has collapsed due to failure of last-minute talks between Deuba and Prachanda.” Oli supported Prachanda.
After talks with Prime Minister Deuba failed, Prachanda arrived at the private residence of CPN-UML chairman Oli to seek support to become prime minister. Leaders of other smaller parties also joined them. Nepali Congress is the largest party
The Nepali Congress is the largest party in the House of Representatives with 89 seats, while the CPN-UML and CPN-MC have 78 and 32 seats, respectively.
No party has the 138 seats needed to form a government in the 275-member House of Representatives.
The deadline given by President Bidya Bhandari to political parties to form a coalition government under Article 76(2) of the Constitution ends on Sunday evening.
If the parties fail to meet the deadline, the President will either extend the deadline if the political parties request it or he will call upon the largest party to form the government under Article 76(3) of the Constitution.
In such a situation, the Prime Minister should prove his majority in the HOR within 30 days.
The CPN (Unified Socialist) has 10 seats, the Democratic Socialist Party (LSP) has four and the Civil Liberation Party has three. Rashtriya Janamorcha and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party have one seat each. The lower house consists of five independent members.
