The NC and the Maoists have stated that they would step up parleys with other parties, but any compromise between them looks distant with the CPN-UML and the Madhes-based parties, which hold the keys for government formation, refusing to change their stance to stay neutral in the voting. [break]
The Maoists on Saturday said they will continue contesting the election for as many rounds as needed until the parliament elects a new prime minister or Maoist candidate Pushpa Kamal Dahal is let to head a consensus government.
“A Maoist-led government can be formed with political consensus under the current process, but we will even be ready to cancel the current process provided that the Maoists are given support to head the consensus government,” said Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha after a meeting of the party´s office bearers Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Nepali Congress which has also been contesting the election for the prime ministerial berth, also decided not to withdraw its candidacy.
“The Maoist leadership of the government won´t be acceptable to us as long as they do not severe their ties with arms and combatants,” said NC spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC after the party´s central working committee meeting on Saturday.
He, however, said his party is ready to hold discussions on all possible alternatives for the cause of peace, constitution and democracy.
But KC did not specify what the ´possible alternatives´ could be. “We do not want to quit the prime ministerial race,” he said. “This does not mean we are not ready for holding discussion on possible alternatives. The prolonged political deadlock has only posed serious challenges to hard-earned democracy,” he said.
The NC has said it will not support the Maoists to head the government unless the latter agrees to the six-point agenda of the peace process which includes fixing the number of combatants to be integrated into security forces.
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