Solutions aplenty to end Nepal PM poll deadlock

With no end to the current prime ministerial poll deadlock in sight, parties in Nepal are now offering solutions to forge a consensus.

Updated on: Nov 4, 2010, 16:47:16 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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With no end to the current prime ministerial poll deadlock in sight, parties in Nepal are now offering solutions to forge a consensus.

The 17th round of voting failed again on Thursday with lone candidate, Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel, securing just 82 votes.

While 300 votes are needed for a win only 101 lawmakers of the total 601 in Constituent Assembly took part in voting.

The next round of voting will be held on November 15.

As the impasse continues, the three major parties—Nepali Congress, United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) are suggesting solutions.

Earlier this week, Poudel indicated that he would quit the PM race in favour of UCPN (M) chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal if Maoists agree to four pre-conditions.

They are integration of Maoist combatants, disbanding of the party's para-military structure, logical end to the peace process and drafting of a democratic constitution.

Dahal responded by agreeing to sit in opposition and accepting a NC-CPN (UML) coalition government if Poudel withdraws his candidature.

Poudel rejected the idea and urged Maoists and CPN-UML to vote him to power. "I will step down once consensus is reached," he said on Wednesday.

CPN-UML chief Jhalanath Khanal feels all three major parties should occupy the PM's post on a rotational basis till May 28, 2011—the extended deadline for drafting the new constitution.

Caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal meanwhile has threatened to hand over reigns of administration to the President if a full budget is not presented by November 16.

Besides political gridlock, Nepal is also staring at economic crisis as the country's budget has got delayed by four months due to non-formation of a new government.

Maoists are opposing presentation of a full budget by a caretaker government.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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