KATHMANDU, July 12: A meeting of senior leaders of major ruling party CPN (Maoist Center) has decided to hold decisive talks with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on whether or not the CPN-UML would support the Maoist Center in forming a new government under the leadership of its chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
A meeting of top leaders of the party at party headquarters on Monday entrusted Dahal with the responsibility of holding decisive talks with the UML and other major political parties to find out who can be most supportive in forming a government under their leadership.
Most of those speaking at the meeting suggested to Dahal not to stick to the Oli-led government any longer, accusing the UML of betrayal in not implementing the nine-point agreement and a separate gentleman’s understanding reached between top leaders of the two parties two months ago.
“We have entrusted the party chairman with the responsibility of holding agenda-wise negotiations with the UML. If the UML doesn’t show itself ready to implement past agreements and hold serious negotiations with us, the CPN (Maoist Center) may quit the government without delay,” said party leader Lokendra Bista.
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According to another leader, the Maoists don’t want to partner with the UML any longer as they have construed recent statements by Prime Minister Oli as a betrayal. The prime minister, at a meeting with Dahal on Sunday, warned the latter that if the Maoists severed their ties with the present UML-led coalition, a partnership with the NC would be even more challenging for the Maoists.
At the party’s meeting on Sunday, the leaders concluded that the UML must accept Maoist leadership in the new government if it wanted to continue a partnership between the two sides.
“If the UML is sincere in implementing past accords and the gentleman’s agreement reached with us, it must accept our party’s leadership in the new government. If it is not, our party will expedite negotiations with other parties to form a consensus government under our own leadership,” Mani Thapa, another Maoist Center leader, told Republica.
Around two dozens senior leaders aired their views at the two-day meeting of the party. Most of them fiercely criticized the UML for breaching past agreements, said another leader. They have also accused the UML of bringing the budget unilaterally and bullying the coalition partner.
But most of the Maoist ministers in the government, however, cautioned the party leaders against possible betrayal by other parties yet again if they failed to get an agreement in writing.
“Our party’s main concern should be issues related to transitional justice and the party leaders must take the NC into confidence if we are really to quit the present government. Otherwise our party may be in for more trouble,” one leader quoted the Maoist ministers as saying.
NC turns down request for support
The largest political party in Parliament, NC, has turned down the request of CPN (Maoist Center) for support to form a consensus government under its leadership.
Maoist Chairman Dahal had reached the NC parliamentary party office in ha Durbar to meet NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba to seek NC support for forming a new government under Dahal’s leadership.
“He requested NC support to form a consensus government under his [Dahal’s] leadership, but our party president turned down his proposal,” NC leader Ramesh Lekhak, who is close to Deuba, told Republica.
Pointing out that NC had already declined UML’s request to form a consensus government under UML leadership, Deuba said the NC can’t support the Maoists either with such a proposal.
“We had no animosity against K P Oli when we turned down his request for us to join his government and expand it into a consensus coalition. So we don’t have any reason to support you for the same purpose after declining Oli’s similar proposal,” Lekhak quoted Deuba as telling Dahal.
