Nepal prez asks parties to hold voting to form govt

KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Monday called on Nepal’s political parties to form a new government based on majority votes.

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Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, who is supported by the Nepali Congress, the largest party in the House, is poised to become the new premier.

The election was necessitated by the resignation of KP Sharma Oli after opposition parties moved a no-confidence motion.

The president’s office urged the Parliament to begin the process for electing a new premier on the basis of majority as the seven-day deadline given to political parties for forming a consensus government expired on Sunday.

Babin Sharma, press adviser to the speaker, told journalists the speaker had received a letter from the president’s office regarding the election in line with Articles 305 and 299(3) of the Constitution. The Parliament is preparing to begin the election procedure on Wednesday. A panel headed by the secretary general of Parliament will conduct the polls.

The Samuktya Loktantrik Madeshi Morcha (SLMM) said it will vote for Prachanda, even as it sought a credible political commitment from Nepali Congress and CPN (M-C) regarding its demands.

A nine-member panel of the three parties are hammering out a political roadmap to accommodate the Madeshis’ demands .

A political deal is likely to be sealed on Tuesday, which will pave the way for Madeshis to vote for Prachanda but will not give them room to join the government, leaders involved in the negotiations told HT.

“We will vote for Prachanda but will not join the government,” said Raj Kishor Yadav, chairman of the Forum Ganatantrik.