Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress (NC) Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel and CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal have been nominated prime ministerial candidates of their respective parties. [break]
Accompanied by party colleagues, parliamentary party leaders Dahal, Poudel and Khanal reached the International Conference Center (ICC) Tuesday afternoon to file their candidacies for the much coveted post.
Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai proposed Dahal as prime ministerial candidate and another leader Narayankaji Shrestha seconded the proposal.
Similarly, NC senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba proposed Poudel as the party´s candidate and leaders Kul Bahadur Gurung and Bimalendra Nidhi seconded the proposal, while UML Senior leader and outgoing prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal proposed Khanal as candidate and leader Bishnu Poudel seconded the proposal.
There were long-drawn-out intra-party differences between Dahal and Bhattarai over who should be their party´s prime ministerial candidate.
While the Bhattarai faction had hoped that the party politburo meeting Tuesday morning would name Bhattarai as the candidate, Dahal proposed himself as candidate at the beginning of the meeting and the other leaders remained silent.
“We did not have much to say as the chairman himself declared that he wanted to contest the election,” said a politburo member. The party has decided to back a progressive coalition, which means an UML-led coalition, if Dahal fails to garner a majority.
After his nomination, Dahal said that he would step up negotiations with other political parties till Tuesday morning. “I am hopeful that we will reach an agreement to form a consensus government by tomorrow morning,” he said.
But Poudel said he would win the election as the UML would back him in the end.
“I do not think the UML has betrayed us. I am still hopeful of getting their support,” said Poudel after his nomination.
The United Democratic Madhesi Front, which includes four Madhes-based parties -- Madhesi People´s Rights Forum, Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and Sadbhawana (SP) -- decided not to join the fray, saying they would rather back the candidate who would address the issues of Madhes.
Though it is still unclear which of the candidates they think would address their demands, sources say they are likely to back NC´s Poudel. The Madhesi alliance has altogether 82 seats in parliament.
“The Front has decided to support the candidate who stands by the cause of Madhes and promises to complete the peace process and constitution writing,” said TMDP leader Hridayesh Tripathi. He said the Front may even remain neutral in the voting.
Similarly, the UML unanimously decided to field Khanal as its candidate, but under one condition. He will have to show in writing the support of a two-thirds majority in parliament by Tuesday morning, or else UML lawmakers will abstain from voting.
After the nomination, Khanal told journalists that he is in contact with many political parties and is hopeful of a two-thirds majority.
“He (Dahal) will automatically withdraw following my nomination. And I will withdraw my candidacy in case I cannot get a two-thirds majority,” Khanal said.
The voting is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Wednesday. If no political party garners a majority --300 out of the current 599 members - the parliamentary Business Advisory Committee (BAC) will set another date for voting. The process will continue till a prime minister is elected with a simple majority of 300 votes.
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