The CPN (Maoist) today decided to give up its claim for the post of president, saying that the first president of republican Nepal should be chosen from the civil society.

A meeting of the Central Secretariat of the party held at party chairman Prachanda's residence in Nayabazaar took the decision.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Maoist spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara said that the party would strongly press for a civil society candidate for the presidency.

However, the party's stance against constitutional change to introduce the single majority provision for unseating the Prime Minister remains unchanged, he informed.

The CPN-M's decision comes following a series of failed negotiations among the parties for resolving their differences over power-sharing. The Maoist party had been claiming both the presidency and the premiership. nepalnews.com mk June 05 08

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