Maoists propose withdrawal of PM candidacies

REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Aug 9: In a new political development, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) has proposed to the Nepali Congress (NC) to either support its candidate for prime minister or withdraw the candidacies of both parties and hold serious negotiations.

The Maoists put forward the proposals to the NC during a meeting between the two parties held at Singha Durbar on Monday.

According to Maoist Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha, his party forwarded two proposals: We propose either to reach an agreement to support a Maoist-led government or agree to withdraw the candidacies of both parties and begin serious negotiations.

But the NC rejected the Maoist proposal to withdraw the party’s candidacy for prime minister. “It would not be prudent to end the ongoing process to elect a new prime minister half way without reaching agreement on an alternative,” said NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat. “It could throw the country towards another crisis if we withdraw candidacy without agreeing on who should be the next prime minister.”

It´s not immediately clear if the Maoists were ready for negotiations on the contentious issues of the peace process and constitution writing and were proposing withdrawal of candidacies by both parties to facilitate that process. The response of leaders of the two parties over this is conflicting.

Maoist Vice-chairman Shrestha claimed that his party was ready to negotiate and strike a deal on the issues related to the peace process.

But NC General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi countered that claim. He said the Maoist leaders didn´t say that they were ready to negotiate the issues of the peace process. "It´s actually we who said that there has to be negotiations and agreements on the issues of government leadership and the peace process before there is an agreement on withdrawal of the current candidacies for the post of prime minister"

In January, the political parties came up with a six point-agenda for negotiations to end the political stalemate and ensure constitution writing but the agenda was never negotiated in earnest.

The senior NC leader said the Maoists came up with the new proposal for public consumption and to stop the upcoming UML central committee meeting from changing its position of neutrality. "There was growing pressure within the UML to change its current stance and vote for the NC in the next round of voting for prime minister. Now that is less likely."

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel are in the race for new prime minister following Madhav Kumar Nepal’s resignation on July 1.

Sushil Koirala, Paudel, Nidhi, Ram Sharan Mahat and Krishna Prasad Sitaula from the NC and Maoist leaders Dahal, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Mohan Baidya, Shrestha and Ram Bahadur Thapa from the Maoists were present at the meeting.