Nepal: IN SEARCH OF A PRIME MINISTER
Daya Varma
Abbreviations: Nepali Congress (NC); Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML); United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) UCPN (M); United Democratic Madesi Front (UDMF); Janadhikar Forum; In general, Madesi parties represent Nepalese of Indian origin mainly in the Terai region.
Will Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), the leader of UCPN (Maoist) be the next Prime Minister? Or will Nepal face uncertainty? The August 2 meeting of the three major parties must decide – or delay! Read more…
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal of CPN (UML) resigned under pressure. The search is on for his replacement. Who will that be is uncertain?
On July 11, 2010, the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of Nepali Congress decided to ask the Unified CPN (Maoist) to come up with ‘clear consensus proposal’ to form a new government under its leadership. NC leaders felt that the Maoist proposal is not a solid paper to make consensus among the three major political parties – NC, CPN-ML and UCPN (M). UCPM (M) won the most seats in the 2008 elections.
The contentious issue is the integration of former People’s Liberation Army combatants into the regular army and a constitutional guarantee of the possibility of multi-party rule by the Maoists. “We reached a conclusion that both, government formation and PLA integration, should be taken together,” said NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula. He also accused UCPN (M)] of neglecting sentiments of past pacts.
Maoist leader Dahal said his party should lead the government as per the people’s mandate. “We want to convert his (Prime Minister Madhav Nepal’s) resignation into an opportunity.”
As of July 26, no clear consensus has been achieved on the next Prime Minister although a conditional support by the United Democratic Madesi Front for the UCPN (M) leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) raises the possibility that he might be the new Prime Minister.
In the meantime, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement urging the parties to “intensify their efforts towards the formation of a consensus government” and implement commitments made in the 2006 peace agreement. This also points to Dahal becoming the new Prime Minister.
The United States said it was “vitally important” to make progress in the peace process and called the prime minister’s resignation an opportunity to move the process forward and bring stability to Nepal.
“We are trying to achieve consensus but it will take time,” said Rabindra Adhikari, a senior member of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-UML), which leads the outgoing government.
Maoists have formed a three-member talks committee led by Dahal to garner support for the government under its leadership. The UML has also decided to intensify talks with other parties to form a new government under it. “A Maoist-led government is impossible,” a senior UML leader told the Post. “But the Maoists should be brought in the new government,” he said, adding, “The UML will also lay claim to the new prime minister’s post.”