At a meeting held at NC Acting President Sushil Koirala´s residence on Saturday evening, NC leaders told UML leaders that the former need not withdraw candidacy for prime minister to forge consensus. The UML has been urging the NC to withdraw its candidacy to make way for the formation of a national consensus government. [break]
NC argued that the ongoing voting process should be given continuity while continuing efforts at forging consensus. The party maintained that consensus can be forged even after the vote for prime minister. “There is no point in withdrawing the prime ministerial candidacy,” said NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula. “The withdrawal will invite fresh complications as we need to knock the doors of the president´s office again.”
On Thursday, the UCPN (Maoist) had said during a meeting with UML that the party was ready to withdraw its candidacy if NC agreed to do the same. The Maoists had asked the UML to convince NC to withdraw its candidacy and begin a fresh process to elect the new prime minister.
UML leaders said the meeting between NC and UML ended on a positive note. “We have found that all the three parties have adopted a common stance to move ahead by forging consensus,” said UML leader Ghana Shyam Bhusal. “The NC has demanded that a basis for such consensus be worked out before the withdrawal of candidacies. This is the only difference we have with NC.”
According to Bhusal, leaders of the two parties have agreed to hold a three-party meeting before the fifth round of voting for prime minister.
UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, UML leaders Ishwar Pokharel, KP Sharma Oli, Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Ram Chandra Jha and Bhusal and NC Acting President Sushil Koirala, NC leaders Ram Chandra Poudel, Prakash Man Singh, Arjun Narsing KC, Krishna Sitaula and Dr Ram Sharan Mahat attended the meeting.
On the occasion, UML leaders had apprised NC leaders about the eight-point proposal passed by the party´s central committee held on August 11. Among other things, the meeting had decided to ask both the Maoists and NC to withdraw their candidacies for prime minister and stay neutral if the parties failed to reach consensus before the fifth round of voting for prime minister to be held on August 18.
NC leader Dr Mahat said the meeting re-emphasized the stance of both NC and UML on the peace process. “A Maoist-led government would not be unacceptable to us if they resolve all contentious issues related to the peace process and constitution drafting,” he said.
UML urges 10 parties to stay neutral
CPN-UML has once again urged smaller parties to support its agenda of forming a consensus government by staying neutral in the fifth round of voting for the new prime minister.
At a meeting with leaders from 10 other political parties at UML headquarters, Balkhu, UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal urged them to remain neutral in the fifth round of voting.
“The UCPN (Maoist) is ready to withdraw its candidacy or to amend the parliamentary regulations to seek an alternative to the ongoing election process,” Chandra Dev Joshi of CPN (Samyukta) quoted Khanal as saying in the meeting. According to him, Khanal urged them not to cast vote for any of the prime ministerial candidates as the party was making progress toward forming a consensus government.
Leaders from Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Democratic) CPN-ML, Nepal Sadbhabana Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, CPN (Samyukta), Rastriya Janashakti Party, Dalit Janajati Party, Nepal Family Party, Nepa Rastriya Party and Federal Democratic National Front were present in the meeting.
In reply, the small parties suggested the UML leaders come up with a concrete proposal on forging consensus. “We have agreed in principle to seek a solution through consensus but the parties should be clear about the next move as well,” Joshi said.
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