The leading coalition partner CPN-UML has prepared a basic draft of the CMP and has forwarded it to other parties for their feedback and inputs. The CPN-UML and Nepali Congress have called a joint meeting of the 21 political parties those supported Madhav Kumar Nepal as the Prime Minister on Wednesday.
The meeting will discuss CMP of the government, formation of a high-level mechanism to coordinate and oversee the government functions and sharing of power in the government.
"We have agreed that we should finalize the CMP and power sharing only after holding talks with all the parties supporting the government so that they don´t feel that big parties are imposing their decisions," said Nepali Congress General Secretary, Bimalendra Nidhi.
The UML and the NC have also decided not to discuss the power sharing until it is clear which parties want to join the coalition and who wants to support it from outside.
"That´s why we have not discussed portfolios so far," said UML leader and prime minister´s political advisor, Raghuji Pant.
Consultations, lobbying on
Parties have expedited inter and intra-party consultations and lobbying.
The leaders of United Democratic Madhesi Front -- an alliance of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party and Sadbhavana Party -- met NC President Girija Prasad Koirala today and held discussions on ranges of issues, including power sharing and urged him to finalize the CMP only after extensive consultations with the coalition partners.
"We have urged Koirala not to ignore the views of the minor parties in the CMP," said Ram Kumar Sharma, a TMDP leader who attended the meeting.
Sharma, however, refuted reports that the UDMF demanded nine ministries in the future coalition. "We are yet to decide whether or not to join the government so demanding certain number of ministries is still premature," said Sharma.
But the major party in the UDMF, the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) is already demanding that the party should get major ministries since it has played a pivotal role in formation of the current government. "We have told Girijababu that we must get major ministries like Home and Water Resources," said Bijaya Gachchhadar, parliamentary party leader of the MPRF.
Internal discontent
While the major parties are gearing up to join the government many of them are also facing growing discontent within the parties. The MPRF still looks deeply divided on who should lead the party in the government. Sensing the division in the leading Madhesi party Koirala told Gachchhadar that he would hold separate discussion with MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav.
Koirala is also facing some dissenting voice within the NC regarding who should represent the party in the government. While different factions were lobbying for different name 25 NC lawmakers met Koirala today and demanded that any decision on joining the government should be taken by the party Central Working Committee (CWC). The lawmakers, which included NC heavyweignts like Purna Bahadur Khadka, Pradeep Giri, Deep Kumar Upadhyaya among others, said they were in favor of an institutional decision so that the leaders representing the party in the cabinet will feel accountable toward the CWC.
Senior NC leaders, Khum Bahadur Khadka and Govinda Raj Joshi had also met Koirala on Monday and urged him to discuss the issue in the party CWC.
Related story
Dispute within NC further delays cabinet expansion
-1776353206.webp)
