Efforts to form govt intensify as president's deadline is set to expire

As the extended deadline provided by the president to Maoists to forge understanding to form the new government is set to expire on Friday, parties have intensified efforts to reach understanding on power sharing.

The top leaders of four big parties – Nepali Congress (NC), Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), Maoists and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) – resumed their talks late in the afternoon at Ministry of Peace even though they had earlier decided to start the talks in the morning.

Reports say that the parties have agreed, in principle, to divide the ministerial portfolios on the basis of seats of the parties in the Constituent Assembly.

Likewise, the Maoists have also positively considered including the NC's seven point conditions in the Common Minimum Programme. Earlier the NC had asked Maoists to first clarify about the status of their 'parallel institutions' and their stand on returning seized properties before delving into details of power-sharing agreement.

UML leader Bhim Rawal has said that if the issue of ministerial portfolio division is not discussed on Friday, it will be impossible for the Maoists to stake claim to form government by today.

Meanwhile, at the meeting of NC central committee, some of the senior leaders are said to have opined that the NC itself should assume the leadership of new government. nepalnews.com sd Aug 08 08

Related News
- Four parties pack up meeting without result, agree to meet on Friday
- President gives parties three more days to form govt