UML fails to select chief ministers, ministers

SAGAR KARKI, KATHMANDU, Jan 30: A meeting of the CPN-UML standing committee, held at the party headquarters in Dhumbarai on Tuesday has failed to select chief ministers and ministers as the meeting concluded without any concrete decision.

But the party has decided to elect the candidates through voting by provincial parliamentary members if consensus among the leaders cannot be established.

The meeting has decided to open voting as an option in case no consensus can be established, according to party standing committee member Shankhar Pokhrel.

The left alliance on Sunday agreed to allocate four chief ministers to UML and two to CPN (Maoist Center). As per the agreement, UML is leading province government is Province 1, 3, 4 and 5 while Maoist Center will have 6 and 7.

It may be noted that Pokhrel has already been elected as the parliamentary party leader of Province 5 unopposed; and he will likely to lead the government in the province. But, in other provinces, more than one leaders have put claim for the post, which has created problems for UML.

Pokhrel added that the party will select its chief ministers and ministers of provinces after National Assembly (NA) election.

Meanwhile, UML has also decided to organize an orientation to voters in view of the upcoming NA election, scheduled for February 7, according to Pokhrel.

The meeting also decided that the new government would not take responsibility of recent decisions of the care taker government. The meeting was chaired by party chairman KP Sharma Oli where senior leader Jhalanath Khanal, leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and other leaders were present.