KATHMANDU, Nov 23: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav Friday afternoon made a formal call to political parties to form a national consensus government within seven days.
The president made the call as per Article 38 (1) of the interim constitution. The president´s move comes after the political parties´ persistent failure to agree on issues including a consensus government and new polls. [break]
According to the president´s office, a copy of the letter calling for the formation of consensus government by November 29 has been sent to the government and the parliament secretariat each.
In the letter, the president has asked the political parties to recommend a proposal through political consensus, naming the new prime minister and the formation of the council of ministers under him by Thursday 4 pm.
Earlier, the president had given the parties a deadline of November 22 to agree on outstanding issues including the formation of consensus government and holding of new elections.
The state head had also hinted at taking an initiative on his own if political parties fail to forge consensus. The government fell short to its own announcement of new Constituent Assembly election for November 22.
“Unless there is a last minute dramatic change in this development, the president is going to make a call for formation of national consensus government today,” a source at the president’s office had told Republica Online, earlier.
Only a day earlier, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai addressed the nation calling for broader political consensus, which the opposition parties have described as the PM´s ploy to prolong his grip on power.
PM Bhattarai had reached the president´s office at 8 pm after his address to the nation. Speculations were rife that there had been a "gentlemen´s agreement" reached between the prime minister and the president prior to the state head endorsing two-thirds budget forwarded by the government.
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