Nepal’s political parties have failed in their efforts to form a consensus Government ahead of a deadline set by President Ram Baran Yadav, who is now expected to call for the formation of a majority Government.
Yadav asked the political parties last week to name a consensus candidate for the post of Prime Minister and to form a Council of Ministers according to Article 38(1) of the Interim Constitution by Sunday.
However, week-long negotiations among major political parties did not produce any results.It is now expected that the President will call on the parties on Monday to form a majority Government under Article 38(2) of the Constitution, sources said.
Nepal went to the polls on November 19 to choose a new Constituent Assembly that will draft a new Constitution aimed at ending years of political unrest.
It was widely believed that a consensus Government would have been instrumental in promulgating a new Constitution by
accommodating issues raised by all parties.
Sushil Koirala, the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Nepali Congress, which is the largest party in the Constituent Assembly, held consultations with parties like the CPN-UMl and Unified CPN-Maoist on forming a consensus Government.
However, the talks did not produce any results till Sunday evening, party officials said.
The CPN-UMl, the second largest force in the Constituent Assembly, had asked the Nepali Congress to come up with a clear roadmap for power-sharing before any agreement on forming the Government.
It has also been pressing for elections for the posts of President and Vice President, saying people had given a fresh mandate to political parties through the Constituent Assembly polls.
leaders of major political parties are likely to meet the President to brief him on the latest developments. Sources said the parties are unlikely to ask the President to extend the deadline for forming a consensus Government.
Thus, it is likely that the President would call on the parties to form a majority Government, the sources said.