Maoists likely to stay neutral in Sunday's vote

KATHMANDU, Sept 1: Maoists are likely to stay neutral in the sixth round of voting slated for Sunday at the legislature-parliament to elect a new prime minister.



“We will do something to get the party out of this mess, no matter what sacrifice we have to make as the largest political party. Our party will not go for the same process again and again,” Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal told journalists at his residence at Nayabazaar, Wednesday morning. [break]



Journalists covering parliamentary affairs had reached Dahal´s residence to learn about the party´s stance in the light of repeated failure by parliament to elect a new prime minister due to the rigid stances of the political parties. Dahal and Nepali Congress (NC) parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudel are contesting the prime ministerial race.



Though the Maoist chairman did not categorically say what decision the party will take to end the election process as the NC is opposed to any neutral stance, he argued: “We will either reach an agreement with other parties or our ongoing central committee meeting will take a new decision to break this deadlock.”



According to one central leader, the party may either boycott the voting or just stay neutral. “But we are yet to discuss the issue in the party and take a concrete decision,” said a Maoist leader close to Dahal.







During his meeting with journalists, Dahal also disclosed that he filed his candidacy because of pressure from CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal. “We filed our candidacy in the last hour after Jalanathji told us that only the NC candidate would be left if we don´t file candidacy and the UML failed to garner a two-thirds majority,” said Dahal.



Khanal had to withdraw his candidacy after he failed to garner the signatures of two-thirds of the lawmakers, a stipulation decided on by his party´s central committee. Khanal is now lobbying for withdrawal of both candidacies and seeking of a consensus government, preferably led by himself.



The Maoist chief also said that his party will try its best to seek political consensus under the current process or go for a new process. He reiterated that his party is not responsible for the continued deadlock.

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