The decision comes at a time when some top UML leaders have intensified talks with other political parties staking claims to the leadership of a new government. Khanal himself held several rounds of talks with other political parties in recent days, seeking support for forming the new government under his leadership. [break]
"A major decision of today´s meeting is that I have been replaced by party chairman [Khanal] himself as a coordinator of the talks team," Oli, considered an arch rival of Khanal, told reporters at the party head office at Balkhu after the meeting. At the meeting, Khanal himself tabled the agenda and Oli seconded it.
Asked about the reason for the decision, Oli said, "May be he [Khanal] thought I can´t represent him properly and his purpose can´t be fulfilled by me." Oli, who is close to caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, is reportedly in favor of forming a Nepali Congress (NC)-led government.
Khanal, however, refused to comment on Oli´s remarks. "This is a decision taken by the party Central Committee. I have no further comment," Khanal quipped.
According to UML leaders, the meeting also decided to make every attempt till the last minute to form a national consensus government. They informed that a majority of members who spoke at the meeting were for staking a claim to the leadership of the new government.
"The country´s president is from the NC and the UCPN (Maoist) has its own private arms and armies. Therefore the UML can be the only appropriate party for coordinating the two political forces -- NC and Maoist-- who stand at two opposite poles," UML leader Gokarna Bista said after the meeting.
Oli said that the UML is bound to insist on a national consensus government because the prime minister was pressed by UML leaders themselves to resign for the same reason. Some leaders loyal to Khanal had pressed Nepal to step down and pave the way for a consensus government.
Asked if he sees the possibility of a consensus coalition, Oli said satirically, "It should be possible as the chairman himself has actively taken up the initiative to that end."
Pradip Gyawali, chief of the party´s publicity department, said the meeting decided to request President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav to extend the deadline for forging a consensus among the political parties on the new government. The deadline expires on Wednesday.
thira@myrepublica.com
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