In his three-page proposal floated at the CC meeting on Wednesday, Rawal said the first priority should be leadership of the new government by a political party not in the present ruling coalition.[break]
“If an agreement on one leader from any political party becomes impossible, a new government should be formed headed by two co-prime ministers, one from among the present ruling coalition and another from the opposition alliance,” said Rawal.
In his third option, Rawal said a new government can be formed through an arrangement under which it will be led alternatively by a prime minister from one political party for six months and by another prime minister from a different party for another six-month period.
He is for nominating a former chief justice, the latest to retire, as prime minister if the parties fail to pick a political leader for the position.
Politburo member Mukunda Neupane and CC member Yogesh Bhattarai also presented different proposals on government formation, reinstatement of the dissolved Constituent Assembly (CA) and resolution of the constitutional and political void.
Bhattarai registered a separate two-page proposal with six different alternatives.
"On leadership of the new government, our first priority should be NC President Sushil Koirala. But, if he fails to garner adequate support, our party should stake claim to the government leadership," Bhattarai said in his proposal. "If the first and second options do not work, we should propose CPN-Maoist General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa as prime ministerial candidate." Bhattarai, however, clarified that his proposal was only a suggestion.
Similarly, Bhattarai has suggested to party leaders to be open to government leadership by any other leader that would be acceptable to all, or to be ready to form a presidium of the chiefs of the major political parties and allow them to head the new cabinet by turns.
UML CC members suggested to the party leadership to work on various alternatives on government formation while the party chairman proposed backing Nepali Congress President Koirala for the prime ministerial post.
"If the leaders fail to end the deadlock by forging agreement on any of these options, the top leaders of the major political parties should resign en masse on moral grounds and hand over the leadership to the new generation," he said.
Offering a separate written proposal at the meeting, UML politburo member Neupane lobbied for reinstatement of the CA dissolved in May without having produced the new constitution. He argued that the elected CA that had also worked as parliament for the last four years needed to be reinstated for a brief period to remove the constitutional as well as legal difficulties.
"A decision taken based through political understanding can be challenged legally and constitutionally. Therefore we need to amend the constitution and laws through a legislative body," Neupane told Republica. "I proposed CA reinstatement for a brief period and for a specific purpose to ensure elections in the coming spring."
Party Spokesperson Pradeep Gyawali, however, said the proposal for CA reinstatement was irrelevant since an overwhelming majority in the party had already decided to go for fresh elections. A Standing Committee meeting had earlier issued a directive to leaders and former CA members from the party not to involve themsleves in any activity intended to revive the dissolved CA.
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