Nepal’s major parties maintain status quo, consensus eludes further

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s largest two parties- ruling UCPN (Maoist) and Nepali Congress (NC) – failed to reach consensus over the formation of consensus government on Monday also.

With the failure to narrow down their differences on the formation of consensus government, Nepal’s political parties failed to meet the fourth deadline served by the nation’s ceremonial head of the state- President Dr Ram Baran Yadav – to form a consensus government for holding CA elections.

Until late evening on Monday, political parties and even the President were expecting consensus coming by as assured by Maoist supremo Prachanda and backed by other influential leaders. But the hopes faded away after media circulated reports of the Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s denial to step down immediately, as desired by his superior Prachanda and demanded by opposition parties including NC.

Knowledgable sources informed that the PM Baburam Bhattarai denied to step down immediately seeking respective exit. He is reported to have demanded that his own government be transformed into a consensus one and be enabled to announce a date for holding CA elections, fulfil key vacant posts in various constitutional organs and remove all constitutional hurdles for holding CA elections.

The PM remained adamant on leaving the centre stage to other parties only after setting the course for holding CA elections and fulfilling the vacant constitutional posts.

These conditions were taken as an effort to derail consensus talks by Nepal Congress and CPN UML. Both opposition parties ruled out the possibility of participating in the Bhattarai led government at any cost.

During informal talks between the top brass of these political parties, NC President and the party’s candidate for the PM’s berth, Sushil Koirala had denied to accept any of the conditions put forward by the PM and his aides.

A Maoist leader, who was well informed about the latest negotiations between the parties, informed that Sushil denied to accept any of the Maoist conditions, even though some of those conditions were agreed by his negotiator- K P Sitaula during talks with Prachanda and CPN UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal on Monday morning.

After failing to meet the fourth deadline also, parties have decided to seek another extension from the President on Tuesday.