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Nepal party seeks to form new government
A coalition partner of Nepal's previous Maoist-led administration is in talks with other parties to form a new government after a deadline set by President Ram Baran Yadav expired.
- Bloomberg
- Published: 22:51 May 10, 2009
Singapore: A coalition partner of Nepal's previous Maoist-led administration is in talks with other parties to form a new government after a deadline set by President Ram Baran Yadav expired.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) called on all major parties in the constituent assembly to help form a "unity" government, Nepalnews.com reported today. The Maoists have laid down conditions to join the new administration.
Yadav had given a May 9 deadline to the parties to try to form a government.
Puspa Kamal Dahal stepped down as premier May 4 after the president overturned his decision to fire the army chief of staff, Rookmand Katawal, for refusing to integrate former rebel fighters into the military.
The Maoists fought a 10-year insurgency to overthrow the 240-year-old monarchy before disarming in 2006 under a United Nations-backed peace accord. Dahal became the prime minister in August following national elections and his party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), won the maximum seats.
A nine-member panel has been constituted under the leadership of Jhala Nath Khanal to hold talks with other parties, Nepalnews.com reported.
The Maoists want either the president to resign or sack the army chief of staff, according to Nepalnews.com. They also want all the parties to declare the president's move as "unconstitutional," if they are to be a part of the new government.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is seriously concerned about the "possible risks posed to the peace process," his office said in a statement on May 4.
Relations between the army and the Maoist-led government were strained earlier this year when the military went on a recruitment drive and said it had filled all vacancies in the 93,000-member force. The army has resisted integrating the rebel fighters, saying they are politically indoctrinated.
Dahal's resignation leaves the country without a functioning government and will delay the process of writing a constitution for the new republic.
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