Big four to invite Gachchhadar into govt

KATHMANDU, May 29: Four major political parties have decided to accept the decision of the parliamentary party of the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) to join the new government. At a meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC), Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and Sadbhabana Party held at Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal´s private residence at Koteshwor Friday morning, the four parties decided to invite MPRF leaders into the new coalition government.[break]



MPRF´s parliamentary party led by Bijay Gachchhadar has decided to join the UML-led government while a majority of members in the MPRF central committee are against joining the new government.



"The four parties have decided to accept the parliamentary party decision championed by Gachchhadar, who had also supported us in showing a majority in the House in favor of senior CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal," Shankar Pokharel, CPN-UML secretary, told Republica.



Gachchhadar had played a key role in putting together a majority in the House in favor of Nepal, who was proposed as a common candidate of the NC, UML, TMDP and smaller parties after then prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal stepped down from office. Gachchhadar lobbied for Nepal´s candidacy while MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav and Co-Chairman Jaya Prakash Gupta were in favor of a Maoist-led government.



According to Pokharel, the four parties took the decision to show a common understanding of the major coalition parties regarding the dispute within MPRF.



The parties took the decision hours before a MPRF central committee meeting was scheduled.



The four parties´ accepting the MPRF parliamentary party decision is intended to press the party´s central committee meeting not to take any move against it.

Related story

Enhancing chartered accountancy