Prez calls for consensus govt within 7 days
KATHMANDU, Oct 2: Paving the way for a new government, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala on Friday recommended the president to call the process for electing a new prime minister and form new government.
Subsequently, President Ram Bara Yadav has called the political parties to elect a new prime minister based on political consensus within seven days.
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The prime minister took the step based on the decision of a cabinet meeting held earlier in the afternoon. Article 298 of the new constitution states that the president shall call for the election to form a new government within seven days of the commencement of the constitution. In absence of consensus, the new prime minister shall be elected from the parliament through majority vote.
"As per the provisions in the constitution and my commitment to the people, I am requesting the president to start the process for electing a new prime minister," Koirala said addressing the first meeting of parliament held after the adoption of the new constitution.
Recalling his commitment to step down from the post immediately after the promulgation of the new constitution, PM Koirala said that he had held the responsibility only to assist the constitution-making process.
Koirala was elected to the post on February 10, 2014 with the backing of CPN-UML, the second largest party in the parliament, and many other fringe political parties.
With PM Koirala not spelling out the word resignation, leaders have stood divided on whether the government will remain as caretaker or executive.
Coalition partner CPN-UML has said that the president's call for a new prime minister automatically turns the current government into a caretaker one.
"As the current government starts the process of handing over power, the incumbent government has turned into a transitional one," said UML Senior Leader Jhala Nath Khanal.
He further claimed that the new government would be formed within a week under the leadership of CPN-UML's KP Oli.
On the other hand, Nepali Congress leader and Finance Minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat countered Khanal's argument. "The constitution allows for the continuity of existing government until the new one is elected," he said. "The PM should not resign leaving vacuum on government."
With the completion of the election process of new prime minister, the parliament should conclude the process of electing new speaker and deputy speaker within 20 days of the first sitting of the parliament. Likewise, the Article 297 of the new constitution requires that president and vice-president be elected within a month after the first sitting of the House session based on understanding among political parties.
