Oli, Dahal for talks in tandem on govt formation, party merger

Published On: December 16, 2017 01:00 AM NPT By: Kosh Raj Koirala  | @KoshRKoirala


KATHMANDU, Dec 15: The CPN-UML and  CPN (Maoist Center), that forged an electoral alliance with further  plans to unify the two leftist parties, have  started formal negotiations for simultaneously expediting party unification and  government formation following their resounding victory in the recent parliamentary and provincial assembly polls. 

Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who arrived in Kathmandu  Thursday after his election from Chitwan, held a one-on-one meeting with UML Chairman K P Sharma Oli  Friday afternoon. The meeting that lasted about one and half hours dwelled on how to expedite the party unification process and the formation of the new government. 

According to senior Maoist Center leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha, the two leaders agreed to expedite negotiations for  party unification and government formation simultaneously. “We have a constitutional responsibility to form a new government after our victory in the elections. As we have already reached an understanding to unite the two parties, the two leaders have agreed to simultaneously expedite  party unification and government formation,” Shrestha said.

Of the total 165 seats under the first-past-the-post electoral system in  parliament, the UML has bagged  80 seats and the Maoist Center  36 seats. Counting of  votes for the  110 seats under the proportional representation  system  is nearing completion.

Maoist Chairman Dahal met Oli after holding discussions among his own party's senior leaders including Shrestha. Dahal had held a meeting within his party after the negotiations with Oli in the afternoon. Later in the evening, Shrestha reached  Oli's residence at Balkot for further negotiations as Dahal's emissary. 

Besides  party unification and formation of the new government, the meeting also held discussions on various political appointments being made by the outgoing Deuba government and the disputes surrounding the formation of the national assembly, according  Oli's press coordinator, Chetan Adhikari.

Adhikari said the two parties decided to firmly oppose the appointments made by the Deuba government in recent days, and to revoke them later if the government keeps making appointments. On issues related to the formation of the national assembly, the two parties  decided to hold negotiations with other parties and consult constitutional experts. 

As the dispute over  constitutional provisions regarding  formation of the national assembly continues, the two leaders  held consultations separately with  lawyers close to their respective parties, Friday. They  concluded that the NC is trying to prolong its stay in government by creating legal hurdles. 

Separately, Chairman Oli paid a courtesy call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Friday. Sources said Oli  discussed the current political situation, and mainly  the NC-led government's moves obstructing government formation, citing the need to constitute the national assembly first. 


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