Political parties in Nepal have set in motion a key process to end the deadlock that has stalled the 2006 peace process, amid reports that the Maoists have asked former prime minister GP Koirala to take the initiative to put in place a new coalition government.
Maoist supremo Prachanda raised the issue of forming a Maoists-led national government during yesterday's meeting of the High Level Political Mechanism (HLPM), which has been set up to push forward the stalled peace process, according to a party source.
The political parties are deadlocked over the Maoists' demand to rectify the decision of president Ram Baran Yadav, who reinstated general Rukmangad Katawal, the then army chief dismissed by Maoists prime minister Prachanda in May last year.
The Maoists, who have around 40 percent of the seats in parliament, argue that the president's move was unconstitutional and has compromised "civilian supremacy" over the military.
The Maoist party, which has threatened to launch a fresh round of protest programme for the enforcement of "civilian supremacy" in the country, were ready to bury the old issue if they are allowed to lead the new government, the source said.
In response to Prachanda's proposal to bring about change in the CPN-UML-led government, Koirala told the former rebel leader that it all depends on the decision the CPN-UML in the matter, Nepali Congress party sources said.
A senior Nepali Congress leader, however, said that the present 22-party coalition led by prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal will last till the drafting of the constitution in May end.
It is not possible to change the government even if Koirala and his daughter Sujata Koirala, the deputy prime minister, wanted to do away with the present government leadership, a Nepali Congress office bearer underlined.
Sujata, also the foreign minister, been targeted by senior political leaders in the party amid speculations that she was being pushed by her father for the top post.
The HLPM will meet again to discuss various other proposals at its next sitting, according to a senior Maoists leader. Political tensions have been high in Nepal since a government led by the Maoist resigned in May last year amid a dispute with the president over the reinstatement of Gen Katawal.
Prachanda had blamed Katawal for trying to resist the integration of former rebels into the military as stipulated under the 2006 peace agreement.
The standoff has put new stresses on Nepal's reconciliation efforts amid fears that the stalled peace process may be derailed if the Maoists begin a fresh round of agitation.
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