With the December 25 deadline issued by President to form a new government inching closer, top leaders of the ruling coalition have intensified meetings.
CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba held a meeting at Baluwatar.
Prachanda is demanding that he be allowed to take the helm of the government for the first half of the five-year term as per the gentlemen’s agreement.
According to Baluwatar sources, CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Nepal, who was earlier said to be ill, did not participate in the meeting.
Nepal had participated in the Baluwatar meeting on Thursday. The ruling coalition’s meeting yesterday failed to make any headway after Deuba and Prachanda did not budget from their stances.
Deuba, who was elected as the PP leader on Wednesday, is also staking claim for the post saying that some of the NC leaders are not willing to hand over the leadership to Prachanda.
Meanwhile, CPN (UML) Chairman KP Oli has also proposed Prachanda as the prime minister for the first half of the five-year term. The Maoist Center and NC have agreed on sharing the posts of the President and the Prime Minister.
However, they are divided over who would lead the government in the first half of the five-year term.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari has called on the parties to form a new government by Sunday 5 pm in accordance with Article 76 (2) of the Constitution.
.
