Deadlock over president in Nepal

Nearly three months after the landmark Constituent Assembly election, Nepal's mainstream parties have failed to break the deadlock over the choice of the head of state, a key roadblock to the formation of a new government in the country, but have agreed on the choice of the residence for the ... ...Nepal's major political parties have serious differences over the issue of who will be the first president of the country, there was no disagreement in choosing 'Sheetal Niwas', the office of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, as the official residence for the president.The interim government decided on Friday to convert the foreign ministry office, situated at Maharajgunj on the outskirts of the capital, as the residence of the first head of state.Nepal's Constituent Assembly on May 28 declared the erstwhile Hindu kingdom a republic by abolishing the 240-year-old monarchy.In line with the decision of the special assembly, dethroned King Gyanendra on June 11 vacated the Narayanhiti Palace and started living in a government owned Nagarjun Palace on the outskirts of the capital.Since then, the government was on the lookout for an appropriate residence for the president of the Himalayan nation.Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is currently functioning as the head of the state by holding all the powers that the previous king used to enjoy, including his cultural and ceremonial role for the past two years.Maoists chief Prachanda was projected by his party as the first president of the Nepal during the April 10 assembly polls. But as the CPN-Maoists failed to get a simple majority in the election, Prachanda has now agreed to become the prime minister and hand over the post of President to some other person.Although Prime Minister Koirala, who led the 'People's Movement' of 2006 that restored democracy by ending King's absolute rule, brought the Maoists to the mainstream politics and successfully conducted the Constituent Assembly polls, is aspiring for the post of president, the Maoists' have been opposed to it.Other presidential candidates are Terai leader Ramraja Prasad Singh, CPN-UML's former general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and CPN-UML leader Shahana Pradhan.However, the current deadlock in the House over the demand of the Terai based parties for greater autonomy has blocked the Maoists from forming a new government.In effect, the development has strengthened the chances of Koirala being elected as the president, political analysts said.

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