Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala.

Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala has expressed hope that the opposition Unified CPN (Maoist) would join the UML-led coalition government to turn it into a national consensus government.

Speaking in a function organised by Nepal Press Union at his residence in Biratnagar Friday morning, Koirala repeated that the Maoists must join the current government to complete the mandated task of constitution writing.

Revealing that Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had earlier approached him to lead the new government, Koirala urged Maoists not to linger with who leads the government. He informed that his health does not allow him to remain active in politics any more.

Koirala also said his party favours the ceremonial presidential system like that in India, against the Maoist proposal for prime minister-less executive presidential system of government.

Koirala further said Nepali Congress will hold its convention post Chhat festival after which he would remain only as an advisory figure of the party. nepalnews.com