Political parties failed to agree on a national unity government even as the embattled Prime Minister has promised to quit amid the lack of progress in the 2006 peace process.
Nepal appeared closer to a constitutional crisis today as political parties failed to agree on a national unity government even as the embattled Prime Minister has promised to quit amid the lack of progress in the 2006 peace process.
CPN-UML leader Jhala Nath Khanal, who was elected Prime Minster on February 3 after 17 rounds of polls in Parliament, had said earlier this month that he would quit if the major works related to the peace process were not completed by August 13.
Nepal Maoists, who ended their decade-long civil war in 2006 and emerged as the single largest party in the 2008 assembly election, are the main ally of the Communist-led coalition.
Khanal's decision to step down has prompted leaders of the Maoist party and the main opposition Nepali Congress to intensify efforts for the formation of a national unity government.
The main opposition Nepali Congress and the UCPN (Maoist) have claimed the right to lead a national government.
During an informal meeting held in the capital today, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala urged Maoist Chairman Prachanda to support his party form a consensus government.
Koirala said the Maoists should accept the Nepali Congress-led government for the sake of peace process, Maoist party sources said.
However, the Maoist supremo asked Koirala to support his party's Vice-Chairman Baburam Bhattarai as the next prime ministerial candidate.
Meanwhile, Bhattarai and Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba have intensified parleys both within and outside their parties in a bid to form a consensus government.
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