Party leadership has been in a fix as all the second-rung key leaders remained rigid on their claim for the home ministry so much so that they aren't ready to give up the key ministry even as the party offered them the post of parliament speaker.
UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal offered party general secretary Krishna Bahadur Mahara the post of speaker. But he is adamant on having the home ministry.
Mahara's unflinching stance then made Dahal offer the post of speaker to party secretary Girirajmani Pokharel who is also not enthusiastic to become head of the legislature.
Other leaders Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Shakti Basnet and Janardan Sharma have been lobbying hard for home ministry.
As the party fails to finalize the candidate for the home minister from the party, it is yet to pick other ministers for the portfolios the third-largest party is offered.
"We have just finalized theoretical criteria for picking ministers from the party so far, finalizing the name of ministers from the party may start from Thursday," UCPN (Maoisy) spokesperson Dinanath Sharma told Republica. Party standing committee meeting summoned to discuss the names for ministers and speaker will resume on Thursday morning. Sharma said that minister will be nominated based on inclusive representation from Dalits, Women, Madhesis and Janajatis.
UCPN (Maoist) has claimed for eight ministries in the new government including home, local development, general administration, commerce, agriculture, and forest among others.
Meanwhile, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Dahal has proposed the name of Amik Sherchan as the candidate for President from the party if party has to claim for the post. "He is my tutor of communist ideology and might be acceptable for all political parties as well," a party leader quoted Dahal as saying during the standing committee meeting held at his residence in Lazimpat on Wednesday.
According to party spokesperson Sharma, Maoist Chairman Dahal has proposed Sherchan for the post and Sherchan too has expressed readiness to be the presidential candidate. Dahal had also claimed that CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli and leader Madhav Nepal were also positive on Sherchan's name. However, after UCPN (Maoist) not showing much enthusiasm for the president, UML has been mulling to field candidate from the party itself.
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