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NC intensifies lobbying for Koirala's 'presidential bid'; gets negative response from Maoists

The Nepali Congress has intensified lobbying in favour of Girija Prasad Koirala for the coveted post of the president.

As part of the lobbying, Home Minister and NC leader Krishna Prasad Situala met Maoist chairman Prachanda at the latter's residence in Nayabazaar Saturday morning and made a "formal request" to make Koirala the first president of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

Hours after the meeting, Prachanda revealed, while speaking at a programme in Kathmandu, that Situala called for CPN-M's support for Koirala's bid for presidency.

Saying that his party is not ready to accept Koirala as the president, Prachanda said any presidential hopeful must quit all the posts in his/her party.

Prachanda further said his party would go for constitutional amendment - to introduce the single majority provision to depose the Prime Minister - on the conciliation that parties give clear assurance that they wouldn't engage in power struggle like in the past.

Meanwhile, during a meeting with CPN-UML in Baluwatar this morning NC leaders are said to have asked the UML to accept Koirala as the president.

NC assistant general secretary Arjun Narsingh K.C told reporters after the meeting that the two parties discussed the presidency issue as well as the issue of constitutional amendment.

Though he would not explain if there was any agreement on NC's proposal, K.C informed that the two parties have agreed to fix the term of the first president for two years.

NC and UML will explain about their latest understanding at the upcoming meeting of the three major parties, K.C said. nepalnews.com mk June 07 08