The UML party has urged Nepali Congress (NC) leader Ram Chandra Paudel, the lone candidate in the prime ministerial election, to back out of the race, and it has also asked the UCPN (Maoist) to withdraw its demand for a special session of parliament.[break]
"The UML makes it clear that the party will vote against Paudel if he refuses to withdraw his candidacy," said the party in a seven-point proposal passed by the central committee meeting held at the party´s head office on Thursday.
The party has emphasized the need to end the ongoing voting and elect a new prime minister through a new election process.
The UML also urged Maoist and other party lawmakers involved in petitioning President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav to summon the special session, to withdraw their demand, saying it would only further embitter relations among the parties. "Our party will stand against the Maoist proposal during the special session if the UCPN (Maoist) does not become ready to come to a consensus," the UML said.
The central committee, the all-powerful body of the party, has also requested Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to summon a regular session of the House soon with a view to resolving various political issues ranging from the prime ministerial election and amendment of parliamentary regulations to endorsing the annual budget, which was introduced through ordinance.
UML leaders, mainly those close to Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, have been emphasizing the need to amend the provision in the parliamentary regulations that require repetition of the voting until a prime minister is finally elected. UML leaders are for ending the process and starting anew if none of the prime ministerial candidates secures a majority in the House after the third round of voting.
The UML, however, has said it´s lawmakers in parliament would abstain from voting until the ongoing election process is ended.
UML leaders said despite the CC meeting´s unanimous decision to keep the option for a majority government open, they should not vote for any candidate as long as the present voting continues, because of the UML´s three-point deal with Maoist leaders. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had backed out of the prime ministerial race after UML leaders promised not to vote for Paudel. "Voting for Paudel under the ongoing process would be a violation of the deal reached with the Maoists," UML Spokesperson Pradip Gyawali told Republica.
- Urges Paudel to withdraw candidacy
- Decides to stand against Maoist proposal in special session
- Requests PM for regular session
- Keeps option for majority govt open
But UML leaders will not remain neutral once the prime ministerial election enters a fresh process. "A leader from any political party -- except Maoist -- who can secure a majority can head the government," Gyawali said. He said the UML cannot accept Maoist leadership until the party completely transforms itself into a civilian organization.
Sixteen rounds of voting in parliament have failed to elect a new prime minister as the third-largest party UML remained neutral, saying a majority government would not be able to deliver peace and the constitution.
Earlier, the UML had proposed the conditional candidacy of its Chairman Khanal for prime minister, saying the party would support him only if he secures a two-third majority in the House. Khanal´s candidacy was withdrawn at the last minute on the ground that he failed to produce the support of 401 lawmakers in writing.
Following withdrawal of his candidacy, Khanal has remained adamant in his neutral stance while Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Sharma Oli have been in favor of voting for Paudel and giving continuity to the present ruling coalition.
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