At a meeting called by NC in a bid to garner support of the three parties for the prime ministerial run-off scheduled for August 2, CPN-ML, CPN (Samyukta) and Samajwadi Prajatantrik Janata Party, Nepal urged NC to make efforts to form a national consensus government. [break]
Talking to media persons after the meeting, CPN-ML Chairman CP Mainali said they suggested NC to take steps towards forming a national consensus government as Madhav Nepal-led government stepped down for the same cause.
Mainali said Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal should initiate dialogues with other parties, including the Nepali Congress, with the commitment to withdraw its candidacy for the sake of consensus government.
“Since there is still a possibility of forming a consensus government, Nepali Congress should also be prepared to withdraw its candidacy,” he said.
NC leaders, however, claimed the three parties are not in favor of supporting a Maoist-led coalition as the party has failed to transform into a civilian party.
Samajwadi Prajatantrik Janata Party, Nepal Chairman Prem Bahadur Singh said they have been advocating formation of a consensus government or at least a government with two-thirds majority in parliament.
Singh said that small parties in parliament will take a collective decision over who to support in the next round of voting. “We are in favor of supporting the party which is committed to democratic norms and values,” he added.
NC Spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC said all three parties are positive about supporting an NC-led democratic alliance. “They have suggested us to take the Maoists into confidence,” he added.
KC said the support of the three parties is certain. “They have asked us to garner support of the UML as their support alone will not suffice for the formation of Nepali Congress- led government.”
NC says no to withdrawing PM candidacy
The Nepali Congress (NC) on Friday said the party would not withdraw its candidacy for prime minister.
“We will not withdraw our candidacy,” said NC Spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC. “We will not return without reaching a conclusion.”
KC said NC will make efforts to form a national consensus government under the party´s leadership till the end. “We will try to form a majority government if we failed to form consensus government,” he added.
Meanwhile, CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal has been insisting that the candidacy of both Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and NC Acting President Ram Chandra Poudel be withdrawn from the prime ministerial race.
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