KATHMANDU, March 6: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's decision to dissolve the alliance with the Nepali Congress (NC) and forge a new alliance with the CPN-UML has led to initiatives for dialogue by Nepali Congress (NC) President and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba offering the position of PM to CPN (Unified Socialist)  Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal. 

Leaders from the UML and Maoist Center, ready for a fresh alliance, have also begun talks with Madhav Kumar Nepal. Following a meeting with PM Dahal on Monday and another with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and his team on Tuesday, discussions expanded to include other parties starting Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday morning, NC President Deuba asked the chairman of CPN (Unified Socialist) Nepal to go together. "Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal betrayed us. He betrayed not only the coalition but also the country. Let us meet and form a new equation," the source said, quoting Deuba's proposal to Nepal.

On Wednesday morning, NC President Deuba reached out to CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Nepal. “Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal betrayed us; he betrayed not only the coalition but also the nation. Let’s come together and form a new alliance," the source said, quoting Deuba's proposal to Nepal.

During the meeting, Deuba also offered the PM’s position to Nepal. “Let us take Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) along,  and you become the prime minister, I will support you," the source said, quoting Deuba's statement.

Sources claim that Deuba also presented the possible arithmetic in parliament that could form an alternative alliance. Ramesh Lekhak was also present along with Deuba. Nepal, on the other hand, said that since the party's secretariat was going to hold a meeting, a conclusion would be drawn from that meeting.

The source said, quoting Nepal's statement, "The secretariat meeting is being held today and we will announce our party's views from there." Mohan Gautam, Nepal's personal secretary and central member of CPN-US, said that there was a general discussion between the two leaders about the current political situation.  

On Tuesday night, PM Dahal and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli also visited Nepal’s residence and asked him to participate in the government. The CPN-US has called a central secretariat meeting today to decide whether or not to participate in the government of the new coalition, but Nepal has already agreed on the formation of a left-wing coalition.

In the meeting of the three parties held on Tuesday evening in Koteshwor, the residence of Nepal, it was agreed to form a left alliance to defeat extremists in the country as they are trying to ruin the country in the name of religion. The leaders agreed to form a coalition until the 2084 elections.

But the NC has also started meeting with the leaders of the political parties in order to foil the ‘deception’ by the Maoists. The NC has withdrawn its support after the alliance broke up. NC ministers from all provinces have resigned to facilitate government formation by the new alliance. "The NC has also presented the mathematics of an alternative alliance to Madhav Nepal," the source said.

If Deuba can prevent Nepal's 10 seats from going to the UML-Maoist coalition, then adding the 87 seats of  NC, 14 of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), 10 of CPN-US, 6 of Janamat, 4 of  Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP) and 4 seats of Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP) will make 125 seats and if Rabi Lamichhane’s RSP can be brought into it, a comfortable majority will be achieved, the source said.

 
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