PM Koirala meets MK Nepal amidst speculation that he is eager for second
inning
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala appears to be on an overdrive to
again secure the post of head of government two days after coming from Sri
Lanka visit to attend the SAARC summit with a brief stopover in New Delhi
to meet top Indian leaders.
PM Koirala, who heads a caretaker government after he resigned from the
post weeks earlier, met former general secretary of United Marxist
Leninist (UML) Madhav Nepal Thursday and discussed the issue of government
formation.
During the meeting held at the house of a UML leader in the morning, the
leaders of the two major parties in the Constituent Assembly are learnt to
have reached a conclusion that the new government of national unity should
be formed on consensus with all the parties. However, they are also said
to be quite sure that a new government wouldn't be formed within the
timeframe set by President Ram Baran Yadav.
A Nepalnews reporter who was at the meeting venue confirmed through
sources that the talks between the two leaders were indeed focused on the
formation of a new government. However, he said that PM Koirala didn't
prefer to comment on the hour-long discussion and also barred another NC
leader and minister Ram Sharan Mahat, who accompanied him in the meeting,
from talking to the media.
It is also widely believed that PM Koirala personally went to the meeting
venue, something he does rarely, to meet the UML leader as he suspected
that the recent hobnobbing between Maoist and UML leaders meant that the
two are trying to forge an alliance in expense of NC. A source also
confirmed that PM Koirala put this concern of his during the meeting.
But the UML leader brushed it off by saying that his party firmly believes
that the new government should be formed "after consensus is reached
between major parties".
UML has been saying that such a consensus government should be headed by
CPN (Maoist).
PM Koirala, who has intensified meetings with leaders of other parities
after coming returning from India, met the UML leader amidst speculation
that he is eager for a second inning.
On Thursday, Koirala started what has been described as "internal
consultation" with leaders of fringe parties and is expected to give it a
continuity today too, focusing on the possibility of forming a government
sans Maoists. He is also scheduled to meet Rastriya Janashakti Party chief
Surya Bahadur Thapa later today.
Meanwhile, UML general secretary Jhala Nath Khanal held meeting with
British ambassador Andrew Hall at his residence today wherein they
discussed the current political situation and the formation of the new
government. Khana had yesterday blamed CPN (Maoist) for the undue delay in
government formation. nepalnews.com ag Aug 07 08
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