The CPN (Maoist Center) is arriving at the conclusion that an agreement on government formation within the ruling coalition is unlikey after the Nepali Congress (NC) strengthened its stance of holding onto both positions of President and Prime Minister.
Maoist Center leaders proposing party Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ as the next Prime Minister of the to-be-formed government said that Sunday morning’s coalition meeting could be a decisive one.
According to a Maoist leader close to Chair Prachanda, the coalition meeting held at the Prime Minister's residence in Baluwatar on Saturday evening indicated widening diffence of opinion between the top leaders.
"Before the election, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba himself told Prachanda he would become the PM after the election. But, now he is struggling to abide by his words," said the Maoist leader. “While Prachanda is openly seeking Deuba’s support be the PM this time, but the NC president is keeping his mum and NC leaders are saying that their party, which emerged as the largest in the Lower House, could not hand the posts of President and PM.”
As President Bidhya Devi Bhandari’s deadline for government formation is running out, disagreements instead of agreements are increasing. The President has invited parties to stake claim to form government by 5 pm Sunday.
On Saturday morning -- a day before the President’s deadline, NC leaders Purna Bahadur Khadka and Ram Chandra Poudel separately held discussions with the Maoist chair at his residence in Khumaltar. Later in the day, a meeting of the ruling alliance was also held in Baluwatar. But instead of reaching an agreement, things seemed that the disagreements were increasing.
“No, no, we haven’t reached close to agreement. Rather far from it,” the leader of Maoist said, adding, "Why should the Maoist Center stay with the NC if the latter is unwilling to leave the posts of President and the PM? Even the transfer of votes did not take place properly in the election."
According to a NC leader, the situation has cetainly got tricky after Prachanda’s aspiration to be PM in the initial phase, however, Deuba is holding discussions within the party on it.
"He has not yet told Prachanda not be the Prime Minister, but has said that he would consult with his NC leaders, " said the NC leader.
Since Deuba has not declined Prachanda, the Maoist side is seem to be optimistic and has agreed to sit for talks at 10 am Sunday.
"Deuba himself did not say Prachanda will not be the PM in initial phase, but things have become clear after NC leaders close to Deuba said that the posts of President and PM could not be compromised," said the Maoist leader. "Though discussions are to be held again on Sunday, there is little chance hope of agreement."
So, if the NC will not give up the posts of President and PM, will the Maoists alternatively form another alliance with the UML again? Maoist leaders themselves are not confident about that prospect.
"If UML wants, we can create an alliance with it, but UML should be ready for a win-win alliance," said the Maoist leader. "We will not revert to the NC if discussions of alliance with UML gets underway as we would be planning to move ahead with the UML."
UML president KP Oli on Saturday piled pressure on the Maoist Center by saying that "since they could not make a decision on time, Prachanda's chances of becoming the prime minister are over".
On Thursday, Prachanda briefed party officials that he received an offer to become the PM from UML.
UML leaders said though the UML offered Prachanda to be PM, he did not take a decision. According to UML leaders, Prachanda can become the Prime Minister if UML, Maoist Center, Rastriya Swatantra Party and Janata Samajbadi Party stand together, with the Rastriya Prajatantra Party supporting Prachanda-led government from the outside.
The UML wants to keep the posts of President and the Speaker of the Parliament as it offers Prime Ministership to Prachanda.
Despite forwarding talks with the UML after the NC refused to give up Presidency and the Prime Ministership, the Maoist Center Chair seems unconvinced with even the UML.
"If the UML helps the NC to form the government after the Maoist Center quits the alliance, then we will remain in the opposition," said the leader, who is very close to Prachanda, "we are prepared for that."
