But the UCPN (Maoist) has denied the charge, saying the party did not resort to any such practice to get its chairman elected PM. [break]
"We had a meeting with Prachanda (Dahal) on Monday. At the meeting, we had asked him how he would manage a majority vote if our party decided to support him. He replied that he would manage at any cost, even resorting to horse-trading," said Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, Co-chairman of MPRF, declining to disclose where the meeting took place.
According to Gupta, who said the incident has invited trouble for his party and for the alliance of Madhesi parties, Dahal and other Maoist leaders had a meeting with him and his party´s chairman, Upendra Yadav.
"Some of our lawmakers were offered money by the Maoists and they voted for Prachanda," said Gupta, "Our chairman (Upendra Yadav) also prodded them to cross the floor."
When asked about the amount of money offered, he said, "I do not want to go into the details of the deal."
MPRF had decided to be neutral in the Monday vote but 11 out of its 25 lawmakers voted for Dahal, flouting a party whip. In a parliamentary system, breach of a party whip is considered indiscipline and an ungraceful act, and is taken seriously.
Gupta further said the Maoists had also approached lawmakers from the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Democratic) and fringe parties with financial offers in return for their votes for Dahal. At the weekend, another Madhesi leader, Anil Jha, had accused the Maoists of trying to buy votes.
But Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha and MPRF Chairman Yadav contested the allegations, saying no horse-trading over parliamentarians occurred in the third round voting in which, like in previous voting, no candidate secured a majority.
"It is downright false. I cannot believe our president talked horse-trading," said Shrestha, "They have been saying that the decision [to floor-cross] was a political one decided on by the parliamentary party."
Yadav said, "There was no such meeting with Prachanda."
According to Gupta, the UCPN (Maoist) had wanted the MPRF to be out of the United Democratic Madhesi Front - an alliance of four Madhes-based parties, and even exerted pressure to break the alliance.
MPRF, the fifth largest party, joined the alliance only last month after detaching itself from the grouping for one year. The party was close to the UCPN (Maoist) and was a major party in the 10-party alliance that the Maoists lead before their government stepped down.
"The Maoists were not been happy with us from the moment we rejoined the Front that has been demanding Maoist commitment to democratic values in the new constitution and that they address the key issues of the peace process. Our chairman was also not comfortable joining the Front," said Gupta.
But Yadav said his party rejoined the alliance under his initiative and is still committed to the Front.
MPRF seeks clarification from rebels
Meanwhile, taking strong exception to the rebellion by 11 of its lawmakers, the MPRF has sought written clarifications from the rebels within five days, according to Yadav.
The party has asked them not to take any decision before an investigation into the breach of discipline.
Similarly, the Front has taken the floor-crossing seriously and is going to discuss it at its next meeting, according to Jitendra Sonar, joint general-secretary of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party, a major party in the alliance.
"The Maoists misused resources, means and power in the Monday voting. It has made us more doubtful about them," said Sonar.
kiran@myrepublica.com
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