UML, Madhesi parties to stay neutral

REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, Sept 5: Unless there is a last-minute miraculous turn of event, the country is unlikely get new prime minister even from the sixth round of voting scheduled for Sunday.

The chances of electing the successor of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal appear slim as United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), an alliance of four Madhes-based parties, and the CPN-UML have not changed their stance to stay neutral in the Sunday´s voting.

Both UML and the UDMF must vote for any of the two candidates --- Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel --- in the race.

The CPN-UML and the UDMF, which have 109 and 82 seats, respectively, in the parliament, have been staying neutral in all rounds of voting.

According to Ram Janam Chaudhary, chief whip of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D), one of the constituents of the UDMF, the UDMF made an informal agreement to stay neutral as the Maoists did not come up with further clarity on the issues jointly raised by the UDMF.

Tarai Madhes Democratic Party, Sadbhawana Party and MPRF are also a part of the UDMF.

Chaudhary said a meeting of the UDMF scheduled for Saturday could not take place as Maoist did not bring new proposal on their demands. “We will sit for a meeting on Sunday morning,” he said. “We have made an informal agreement to stay neutral in the voting scheduled for Sunday.”

UML leader Pradeep Gyawali said there is no change in the stance of the UML. The party has been insisting on its neutral stance saying that there must be a consensus government for delivering peace and constitution in the next nine months before the extended term of the Constituent Assembly expires.

There have already been five rounds of votings in the parliament to elect new prime minister after Madhav Kumar Nepal tendered resignation from the post on June 30. But all these votings have failed to pick a new prime minister due to neutral stance of the UML and the UDMF.

A prime ministerial candidate must secure 301 votes to form a majority government.

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