UCPN (M), NC muse over options for bringing UML on board

The UCPN (Maoist) and the Nepali Congress Tuesday decided to take necessary initiation to convince the UML to join the 'consensus government'.

A meeting of the senior leaders of the two parties held at Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal's Baluwatar residence decided to start talks aiming to bring the UML on board.

They also decided to correct the mistakes in terms of portfolio sharing in order to make sure the UML joins the government.

Maoist chairman Dahal, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Nepali Congress general secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Situala were among those present in the meeting.

The UML has refused to join the government, saying that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai inducted the ministers and restructured some of the ministries without consultation with it.

UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal was among the top leaders of major four parties along with the Madhesi Front who signed the five-point agreement last Thursday to install a unity government headed by Bhattarai and expedite the constitution-drafting process. nepalnews.com