Koirala gives in, may quit today

While Nepal is still caught in a political uncertainty over the formation of government, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is likely to tender his resignation on Wednesday.

Senior Nepali Congress leader Prakash Sharan Mahat said Koirala may announce his resignation when the process of amending the interim constitution begins on Wednesday at the Constituent Assembly (CA).

The central secretariat meeting of the Maoist, which was held on Tuesday in Kathmandu, decided that they would go ahead and form government by vote on the floor of Constituent Assembly if Koirala does not resign.

The Maoists have already been able to garner support of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) members for formation of the new government. Few other parties, including the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum are also likely to support the new coalition.

So far, the formation of the new government in Nepal was delayed as Koirala did not resign from the post of Prime Minister. The Nepali Congress leaders were opposed to Koirala?s resignation as the Maoists were not keen to allow him to take over as the first president of republic Nepal.

If the Maoists and CPN (UML) form the new government on the floor of the Constituent Assembly, Mahat claimed, the Nepali Congress would prefer to sit in the opposition bench.

However, the Maoists central secretariat meeting has also decided to make another effort for a consensus with the Nepali Congress.