By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : A leader of the Nepali Congress (NC) has said that his party still wants to lead the coalition government even after its defeat in the Constituent Assembly poll, The Kathmandu Post reported on Saturday.
Talking to journalists on Friday, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said the NC should continue to lead the coalition government
“The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) is the largest single party but the Maoists don’t have the necessary majority to change the government. And the constitution says the government should be run through consensus among the seven parties,” said Deuba.
Deuba further clarified his party’s preference, “Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has played a key role in bringing the peace process to this stage and in successfully holding the constituent assembly election. So we think he should lead the government in future as well.”
NC and the Communist Party Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist leaders seem to be holding onto the constitutional clause that says a two-third majority is necessary to change the prime minister, and want to use it to force major concessions from the CPN-M even if they are ready to give the latter an opportunity to lead the government, the report said.
Talking to the daily, Bimalendra Nidhi, general secretary of the NC, said if the parties are to change the government, they have two options on hand — either oust the present government through a two-third majority, or form a new government on the basis of a new agreement.
“As the people have not rendered any political party acting alone capable of choosing the first option, the parties have to move ahead through consensus,” said Nidhi.