Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, party Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel and senior leaders KP Sharma Oli and Bharat Mohan Adhikari have held talks ahead of the CC meeting scheduled Wednesday. [break]
The CC meeting is being keenly watched from all quarters as four rounds of voting in parliament failed to elect a new prime minister due to UML´s neutral stance.
UML leaders said there is no possibility of the party changing its stance. Chairman Khanal said UML will further validate its stance and work out strategies to pile pressure on candidates for PM to withdraw.
Asked about the relevance of the meeting if the CC is to reiterate its stance, Khanal said they wanted to hold further discussions with CC members. "There has been significant change. Our stance is working since the Maoists have become ready to withdraw their candidacy. Now the Nepali Congress will also feel the heat to do likewise," Khanal said.
Pokharel said UML will press both parties to restart the election process afresh. "It is quite impossible for UML to change stance," he said.
However, party heavyweight Oli said the CC meeting will make an overall analysis of the changed context and take an appropriate decision to end the ongoing series of PM elections. "We will come up with something that will help end the election process by August 18," he said. However, he did not elaborate whether it will be through voting or some other option.
The CC meeting was called after Nepal, Khanal, Pokharel and Adhikari reached an understanding to this effect at a meeting held at the PM´s official residence Monday morning. Oli, who was outside the capital, held a one-on-one meeting with Nepal Tuesday evening.
Related story
I will stay within UML and continue fight for justice and natio...
-1200x560-1779450784.webp)
