While this decision clears the air of uncertainty regarding who would be the PM if NC heads the new government, Nepali politics remains as puzzling as ever. The NC is yet to get an express commitment from any of the major parties regarding support for a government led by it. CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal is nursing his own ambitions of becoming premier. The Maoists, meanwhile, are still silent on whether or not they would be ready to form a majority government if efforts to forge consensus does not see the light of the day. Perhaps, at this point of time, the best option left before us is just to wait, watch and speculate.
Ideally, a consensus government led by the UCPN (Maoists), which is the largest party in the Constituent Assembly, is the need of the hour. Having said that, we also still maintain that before the Maoists are extended support for the formation of such a government, it is essential for them to fix the number of Maoist combatants to be integrated into the national security forces. They should also make a clear commitment on disbanding the para-military structure of the Young Communist League and return seized properties, among other things. But with just three days left for the election of a new PM, completing these tasks looks almost impossible. Thus, a majority government looks inevitable.
If that happens, the parties that sit in the opposition, should not act as impediments to the constitution-writing process. They should keep on talking with the government to settle contentious issues while taking the peace process forward. The parties, after all have to eventually see eye to eye if they want to promulgate a new constitution. So it makes no sense to severe all lines of communication. Meanwhile, we continue to keep our fingers crossed that a last-minute understanding would be reached and a national unity government formed.
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