PM voting likely to turn out a dud

KATHMANDU, Aug 2: With the CPN-UML deciding to stay neutral and Madhes-based parties still undecided over which candidate to support, the chances of the legislature-parliament electing a new prime minister in the third round of voting slated for Monday appears slim.

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress (NC) Vice-chairman Ram Chandra Poudel -- both parliamentary party leaders of their respective parties -- are contesting for the much coveted post in the current 599-member House.


After the UML decided to remain neutral, the support of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), an alliance of four Madhes-based parties which commands 82 seats in parliament, is a must for the Maoists to win the election.

But the UDMF -- which comprises Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF), Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Democratic), Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and Sadbhawana Party (SP) -- has decided to hold a meeting Monday morning after a meeting held on Sunday evening could not reach any decision.

The UDMF leaders say they will not cast votes in favor of either of the candidates. “What the country needs is a consensus government, peace and constitution. Like the UML, we will not change our stance,” said Joint General Secretary of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) Jitendra Sonar.

However, Maoists say the TDMP should support them as they have, to some extent, similar political agendas.

“As we are closer to the UMDF, they should support us unless they have any other motives,” said Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha who is actively involved in the inter-party negotiations. He said a consensus government could be formed if Dahal is elected prime minister.

UML, which is the third largest party in parliament, has remained divided over whether it should cast votes in favor of NC or remain neutral. But the party will stay neutral till the central committee (CC) meeting takes another decision.

“We will not change our stance as the CC has not been called to reverse the earlier decision,” said UML leader Pradip Gyawali.

While the Khanal camp wants to abstain from voting, the alliance of senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Sharma Oli is in favor of voting for Poudel.

Similarly, RJP and RPP are in favor of NC, while CPN (ML) will remain neutral.

The two candidates failed to garner a majority in the previous two rounds of voting, while the UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal withdrew his candidacy with his party deciding not to contest the election without a possibility of forming a government with a two-thirds majority.

Source: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=21734