KATHMANDU, June 3: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal faces a serious problem with the Gachchhadar-faction of the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF), which was instrumental in getting him the top executive post, before his government takes full shape. [break]
Sources said that MPRF´s parliamentary party leader Bijaya Gachchhadar met Nepal in private at the latter´s office at Singha Durbar to press Nepal to appoint him as deputy prime minister and live up to the commitment he made before he assumed the top executive post.
"Gachchhadar demanded that the prime minister meet his demand for deputy prime ministership," said Bishnu Rijal, the prime minister´s spokesperson, of the meeting between Nepal and Gachchhadar on Wednesday morning.
MPRF leaders close to Gachchhadar said that Gachchhadar reminded the prime minister to keep his word. According to them, Nepal and senior leaders of the Nepali Congress had promised the deputy prime ministership in return for supporting the UML-led coalition. Accordingly, Gachchhadar, as MPRF parliamentary party leader, had garnered a majority support from his parliamentary party for the coalition even though the party leadership was against joining a UML-led coalition. But Gachchhadar´s unwavering support for Nepal had ultimately forced the MPRF leadership to decide on joining the coalition.
Sources close to the prime minister said that Nepal faces a problem in appointing Gachchhadar deputy prime minister due to a request from Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, who played a crucial role in making Nepal prime minister. Koirala has asked Nepal not to appoint a deputy prime minister for now, the sources said.
"The prime minister told Gachchhadar that he will try to adjust everyone in the cabinet," said Rijal.
MPRF leader Okil Musalman, who is a staunch support of Gachchhadar, said that the prime minister asked Gachchhadar to wait for 10-15 days for his demand for deputy prime minister to be met. "We have been rallying for Nepal´s leadership in the coalition government because he promised the deputy prime ministership for our parliamentary party leader," Musalman said.
Later, around 25 MPRF lawmakers also met the prime minister to exert pressure on him to accept Gachchhadar as the MPRF leader in the cabinet.
Meanwhile, the Gachchhadar faction held a secret meeting in Kathmandu to work out further strategies to pressure Nepal. The meeting was going on till late in the night. "We are likely to decide not to join the government until the prime minister gives the deputy prime ministership to Gachchhadar," said Musalman. The decision, if taken, means a problem for the Nepal-led government.
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