The party´s senior leaders KP Sharma Oli, Bharat Mohan Adhikari and Defense* Minister Bidya Bhandari at a meeting with senior leaders from Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) sought support from the opposition party for forming a majority government. [break]
"They [UML leaders] put forth a proposal for forming a majority government but we** insisted on national consensus government," MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav, who was present at the meeting held at the UML´s parliamentary party office in Singha Durbar, said.
UML leaders argued that it had become necessary to form majority government as forming a national consensus government was not possible due to UCPN (Maoist).
However, Adhikari claimed that the UML was still in favor of consensus government but it was not possible under Maoist leadership. He said the UML had already made it clear to the Maoists that it was not possible to form consensus government under their [Maoists] leadership. "We told the same thing to Forum leaders," Adhikari said.
But Yadav argued that Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal can pave the way for formation of consensus government by standing down.
Other Forum leaders Atma Ram Prasad Sah, Ratneshwar Lal Kayastha and Hari Narayan Yadav were also present at the meeting.
However, UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal has said a national consensus government would be formed within a week.
“A government represented by all political parties will be formed within a week,” he told reporters upon his arrival at Biratnagar airport on Friday, adding, “The ongoing deadlock will end after the formation of a consensus government.”
He said the leaders were working hard for a consensus coalition as the existing majority government has failed to resolve the current political deadlock.
When asked who would lead the coalition, he said any leader who can forge consensus would head the new government.
He said that the new government would command two-thirds majority in parliament so that it would be possible to write new constitution and take the peace process to a logical conclusion. He said the UCPN (Maoist) can lead the government once it transforms itself into a civilian party.
* (Corrected)
** (Added)
Related story
Nepal Loktantrik Party formed comprising dissidents of then MPR...
