PM KHANAL RESIGNING SUNDAY WITH LETTER TO PRESIDENT DEVELOPING STORY

FURTHER DETAILS OF PM KHANAL’S RESIGNATION DEVELOPING STORY

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 14 Aug.: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal Sunday evening told leaders of the Big Three in Baluwatar in a 30-minute meeting he’s submitting his resignation to ceremonial President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav later tonight.

Prime Minister Khanal’s Press Aide Surya Thapa said the government chief is proceeding to Shital Niwas with a resignation later more that six months after he assembled a majority communist government with Maoists in February..
Khanal broke news of his impending resignation while addressing a crucial of his party’s central committee meeting, Secretary and Party Propaganda Chief Pradip Geywali said.
Geywali said Khanal will give details of the premier’s views of the heightened crisis to parliament Monday.
Dr. Yadav will ask Khanal to continue as a caretaker until a new government is first assembled through consensus by parliament within a deadline.
The president will then ask parties to form a majority government if a consensus government can’t be formed.
Maoists and NC have laid claims to lead a consensus government.
Khanal until the last moment delayed his threatened resignation asking parties first to assembly a national government.to avert a crisis.
Khanal was elected with a secret seven-point agreement with UCPN (Maoist)criticized by his own party and opposition parties.
He worked closely with Maoists in the beginning but the UCPN(Maoists) became disenchanted when Khanal was charged for acting unilaterally, according to top Maoist leaders.
Maoists finally abandoned Khanal who was isolated.
Critics charged Khanal for attempting to push a communist agenda with Maoists.
The 31 August deadline to complete the peace process and promulgate will again be missed with parties only concentrating their attention and activities at power grab.
Second Vice-chairman Dr. Baburam Bhattarai is Maoist candidate to lead a successor government while Sher Bahadur Deuba is challenging Ram Chandra’s Paudel’s bid in main opposition NC.
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