UCPN (Maoist) vow to block government formation

KATHMANDU, May 9: Despite the call from President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, the consensus government is not likely to be formed in near future as the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has vowed not to enter into the government formation process and the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) has thrown a condition for its participation in the process. [break]

MPRF sets ´autonomous Madhes´ as precondition for its support

UML seeks support for govt formation

The Maoists have demanded an apology from the President for blocking their bid to sack the Army Chief General Rookmangud Katawal. Likewise, the MPRF has sought assurance for an ´autonomous Tarai´ as a condition to enter into the government formation process.

The Maoists have also made it clear that they won´t allow the process of government formation and they will also not join the next government under the leadership of any other political party.

"We first want an apology from the President for his unconstitutional move before proceeding for the formation of next government," said Maoist Spokesperson Dinanath Sharma, adding, "Even after the apology from the President, we won´t join the government under the leadership of any other political party."

He said the next government must be formed under the Maoist leadership.

The Maoist´s condition has narrowed down the chances of forming a national government in the near future though the CPN-UML, backed by Nepali Congress, is frantically exercising to take the lead of next government.

During the Maoists´ ongoing politburo meeting, the members strongly asked the leadership against proceeding in the formation of next government until the President apologized for his move.

A total of 21 members out of 45 have delivered their views on the current political situation. "All the members who have expressed their views are strongly against joining the next government under the leadership of any other political party," said Sharma.

On the other hand, a political committee of the MPRF has decided to first seek assurance of ´autonomous Madhes´ before extending its support to any political party for forming the next government.

The committee has formed a three-member team to initiate dialogues with other political parties on its condition.

The panel comprising Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, Jitendra Dev and Ram Sahay Yadav will solicit other parties´ commitment to the issues of Madhes including autonomous Madhes as a single province before deciding whom to support.

The fourth largest party in the Constituent Assembly (CA) has kept its option open for joining the future alliance or not to support anyone. "Those who give clear commitment to our demand for an autonomous Madhes province will get our support," said the party´s co-chair Gupta.

Gupta said the party could not take a decision on whether or not to join the government as the CPN-UML which has been proposed by Nepali Congress to lead a new alliance, was still undecided.

"We have to wait for the UML´s decision," said Gupta. "But it does not mean we will blindly support a candidate proposed by an alliance without getting clear commitment to address the issues of the Madhes."

Gupta said his party has serious differences with Nepali Congress and UML over the issues of state restructuring. "We are not the force which came here to support the state restructuring issue in a status-quoist line advocated by Nepali Congress and the UML," he said.

Party chairman Upendra Yadav said if none of the parties supported the Forum´s demand for single Madhes as an autonomous province, his party may stay away from the process of forming the next government and launch its struggle for Madhesis´ rights instead.

The committee, however, has stressed the need for formation of a national consensus government.

The Forum has sought constitutionality test over the government´s move to dismiss the Army Chief and the President´s move to veto against the government´s move.

"The committee has concluded that the Prime Minister made a blunder by violating the agreements and commitments by trying to sack the Army Chief through his own party´s decision," said party´s spokesperson Jitendra Dev, reading out a press release at a press meet, organized in Singha Durbar.

The committee also termed the President´s move as an unconstitutional one. "The President´s move is not at par with the spirit of the constitution as the decision seems like a political decision," the press statement reads.