A fresh vote for a new leader will take place tomorrow as ordered by House speaker Subash Nemwang after lawmakers failed to elect a new prime minister.
Nepal's Maoist supremo Prachanda and Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel are set to lock horns again for the prime minister's post, but with no clear winner in sight as CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal said his party will not vote in the run-off poll.
A fresh vote for a new leader will take place tomorrow as ordered by House speaker Subash Nemwang after lawmakers failed to elect a new prime minister.
The House rejected both Maoist chief Prachanda and his Nepali Congress rival Poudel in yesterday's election that required candidates to secure simple majority in the 601-member Parliament.
Prachanda, 58, received 242 votes in favour and 114 against, failing to reach the magic figure of 301 to win the poll, weeks after Madhav Kumar Nepal of CPN-UML resigned as prime minister under Maoist pressure.
Narayankaji Shrestha, a senior leader of the Maoists, was quoted as saying that smaller political parties, which he did not name, have agreed to support Prachanda.
Khanal, who quit the prime ministerial race yesterday after failing to secure two-third majority, said his party UML is in favour of a consensus candidate and will remain neutral and not vote in the poll.
"We have 391 Constituent Assembly members’ support for our leadership for the new PM, but is not adequate for two-thirds of the constituent assembly and we decided not to contest for the new government on majority basis," Khanal was quoted as saying by the Himalayan Times online.
Ishwor Pokharel, the CPN-UML general secretary, said Maoist-led government could not be formed as long as they do not abide by the past pacts and agreements and transform themselves into a civilian party.
Meanwhile, Poudel, who secured only 124 votes, was "confident" of being elected as the prime minister in the run-off.
He said the consultations with other parties have been positive and he is "quite hopeful" of winning the prime ministerial race. However, he not explain how he would get the numbers.
He faces UCPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda, who during the prime ministerial election in 2008 had received the support of 20 parties and crossed two-third majority with 464 votes in the House.
Prachanda today stepped up consultations to garner a majority as he met Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N) party chief to seek support.
CPN-UML prime ministerial candidate Khanal said the run-off will also turn out to be another fiasco.
"This election is going to be another disaster. It won't result in formation of any type of government -- simple majority or that of two-third," Khanal said.
"CPN-UML is not going for majority system. Installing a majority government means peace and constitution won't be achieved," he was quoted as saying by the nepalnews online.
Khanal also called on the parties to work for a consensus government. The Maoist party had assured Khanal of support if it was able to get two-third majority.
Meanwhile, four Madhesi parties -- Madhesi People's Rights Forum( MPR), MPRF - Democratic, Terai Madhes Democratic Party and Sadbhavana Party -- with 84 seats said they would support the party that provides a clear roadmap to conclude the peace process and address the demands of the community, including greater economic and political rights for them.
The country plunged into a political crisis last month after Nepal's resignation, following which major parties failed to arrive at a consensus candidate for the post of prime minister.
CPN-Maoist is the single-largest party with 238 MPs, while Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have 114 and 109 seats respectively in the constituent assembly, whose term was extended for one year on May 28.
The Maoists led by Prachanda won the April 2008 elections and formed a government, but it later collapsed after a dispute with president Ram Baran Yadav over their attempt to fire the army chief.
Political analysts have warned that a delay in forming a new government could derail the 2006 peace process.
"There will be chaos. All the government's plans and policies will be affected," one analyst said.
The country has been in political limbo since the resignation of Nepal, who is now leading a caretaker government.
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