Top CPN-UML leaders discussed the option at a standing committee meeting of the party on Thursday.[break]
CPN-UML Secretary Shankar Pokharel said finding an alternative has become imperative as the parties have failed to come up with a consensus prime ministerial candidate even after repeated extension of the deadline.
“The political parties should either be able to suggest a name or be ready to mandate the head of state to nominate a candidate in consultation with the political parties represented in the dissolved Constituent Assembly," Pokharel told Republica.
He, however, clarified that his party would give first priority to Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala, who has been proposed as a common candidate from the opposition alliance headed by NC and CPN-UML. The ruling parties, including the UCPN (Maoist), have rejected Koirala´s candidature outright.
Pokharel argued that are mulling the option as the country can´t afford to further prolong the deadlock.
Asked about the validity of such a decision in case of objection from the ruling UCPN (Maoist), Pokharel explained that the parties must accept the president´s decision once they give a mandate to the president for the same.
On the option of seeking a prime ministerial candidate other than Koirala, he said that his party is for exploring an alternative only if such a move wouldn´t divide the democratic forces.
"We can explore an alternative candidate only if NC and other democratic forces are ready for that," he said. "Our emphasis is on strengthening unity among the democratic parties."
Lately, some CPN-UML leaders including former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal have stood for seeking an alternative prime ministerial candidate if such a move helps end the deadlock.
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