PM Koirala, Prachanda discuss govt. formation

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 4 May: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Chairman Prachanda discussed formation of a post-assembly election government and declaration of a republic Sunday more than three weeks after the election of a hung assembly.
Koirala is refusing to hand-over power to CPN (Maoist) which has emerged as the largest party in the assembly with 220 seats in the 601-member assembly- 100 more seats that the Nepali Congress—the second party in the CA.
But before the weekend, Indian government troubleshooter Sitaram Yechuri visited Nepal and backed a Maoist claim to lead the government.
Yechuri mediated between the Maoists and Congress and before returning home even delivered a personal invitation to Prachanda from Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee to further discuss government formation in New Delhi.
Koirala and Prachanda discussed new government formation and declaration of a republic Sunday after the departure home of Yechuri.
They agreed to convene a meeting of seven parties to pursue the issues at the earliest before the CA meets probably at the end of May.
Rival parties have demanded stiff pre-conditions for a coalition government of major parties to be headed by Maoists.
Congress has demanded an agreement of a common agenda and an amendment in the constitution with a constitutional guarantee a government can be overthrown with a simple majority.
Under the present dispensation, a government once installed can only be replaced by a two-third majority in parliament ensuring a Maoist-led government power for another 30 months ahead of parliamentary elections after a draft constitution is ready.
Koirala, therefore, is refusing to transfer power to Maoists without an amendment.
CPN-UML, which has withdrawn from government, has said it’s ready to work with a Maoist-led government only on the basis of power sharing; Maoists must be ready to share the presidency the prime minister and speaker with rival parties.
After emerging as the fourth party in the assembly, Madesh Janatantrik Forum has demanded the present ruling alliance must be scrapped and power should be shared with other parties, like it, that have emerged from the first assembly vote.
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PM Koirala, Prachanda discuss govt. formation

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 4 May: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Chairman Prachanda discussed formation of a post-assembly election government and declaration of a republic Sunday more than three weeks after the election of a hung assembly.
Koirala is refusing to hand-over power to CPN (Maoist) which has emerged as the largest party in the assembly with 220 seats in the 601-member assembly- 100 more seats that the Nepali Congress—the second party in the CA.
But before the weekend, Indian government troubleshooter Sitaram Yechuri visited Nepal and backed a Maoist claim to lead the government.
Yechuri mediated between the Maoists and Congress and before returning home even delivered a personal invitation to Prachanda from Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee to further discuss government formation in New Delhi.
Koirala and Prachanda discussed new government formation and declaration of a republic Sunday after the departure home of Yechuri.
They agreed to convene a meeting of seven parties to pursue the issues at the earliest before the CA meets probably at the end of May.
Rival parties have demanded stiff pre-conditions for a coalition government of major parties to be headed by Maoists.
Congress has demanded an agreement of a common agenda and an amendment in the constitution with a constitutional guarantee a government can be overthrown with a simple majority.
Under the present dispensation, a government once installed can only be replaced by a two-third majority in parliament ensuring a Maoist-led government power for another 30 months ahead of parliamentary elections after a draft constitution is ready.
Koirala, therefore, is refusing to transfer power to Maoists without an amendment.
CPN-UML, which has withdrawn from government, has said it’s ready to work with a Maoist-led government only on the basis of power sharing; Maoists must be ready to share the presidency the prime minister and speaker with rival parties.
After emerging as the fourth party in the assembly, Madesh Janatantrik Forum has demanded the present ruling alliance must be scrapped and power should be shared with other parties, like it, that have emerged from the first assembly vote.
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