Kathmandu, Nepal, December 6, 2022: The political parties aligned in the ruling alliance including the CPN (Maoist Center) have reaffirmed to remain intact and agreed to form a new government. A meeting of the ruling alliance held at the prime minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Monday decided to this effect.
With the decision, days of speculations that the Maoist Center, a major ally of the ruling alliance, may join the CPN-UML-led alliance has come to end. Four leaders of the ruling alliance including Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal issued a joint communiqué reaffirming their commitment to continue the alliance and to form a new government.
The statement undersigned by Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Maoist Center Chairman Dahal, CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal and Vice Chairperson of the People’s Front Nepal Durga Poudel reads as “the results of the recently-held elections of House of Representatives (HoR) and Provincial Assembly (PA) have again justified the need and the relevance of the current alliance. It is necessary to give continuity to the current alliance in view of the challenges present before the country.”
“The election result has reaffirmed the significance and necessity of the existing coalition and it is essential to give continuity to this coalition in order to face the existing challenges of the country, the result of the polls has given a clear message that parties should move ahead with cooperation on the path of political stability and economic prosperity, recognizing the spirit and trust of the voters and keeping the interest of the people and the country at the center, we express commitment to move ahead united in the days ahead,” reads the statement.
However, the question of who between Nepali Congress President Deuba and Maoist Centr chairman Dahal would lead the government for the first half of the five-year term is not clear yet. There was a speculation that Deuba has already agreed to allow Dahal to lead the new coalition government for first half term. However, no formal decision is made yet to this effect. Though no discussion was held in the meeting, Nepali Congress President Deuba has already initiated discussion to form government under his leadership.
The alliance forged between the Nepali Congress, Maoist Center, Unified Socialist and People’s Front Nepal had not only formed incumbent government but forged electoral alliance in the recently-held elections with the commitment to continue the alliance for a long period. A meeting of the Maoist Center held on Sunday, however, decided to keep all options ‘open’ to form a new government.
As the meeting also alleged other ruling partners, particularly the Nepali Congress, of not becoming honest in casting votes in favor of the Maoist Center candidates in the election, it was widely speculated that the Maoist Center would leave the alliance to forge new alliance with the UML to form a new government.
The Maoist Centre’s office bearers meeting had expressed serious dissatisfaction over the lack of “vote transfer” from the Congress which, they said, led to the defeat of many of its candidates. However, the office bearers were not univocal to allege other ruling allies. It is said that some leaders had said that the Maoist Center should not forge alliance with the UML even if it proposed to lead the government for first half term.
Recent meetings among the leaders of the UML and the Maoist Center including a recent telephonic conversation held between UML Chairman KP Oli and Maoist Chairman Dahal have raised suspicions that the Maoist Center would forge alliance with the UML. Some leaders of the UML including Raghubir Mahaseth have already met Dahal to propose for the leftist alliance.
The leaders of the ruling allies have agreed to initiate dialogue with other fringe parties to participate in the government. Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, told media adding as “the current alliance will form a new government to work towards achieving stability, development and prosperity as expected by the people.” The meeting has decided to review and address misunderstanding seen among the ruling allies.
