Party on the way to Maoists government

KATHMANDU, Aug 7 - With just a day to go before the deadline given by the President to the Maoists to form a national consensus government, the big political parties have stepped up political consultations. A meeting of the major four parties—CPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and Madhesi People's Rights ... ...(MPRF)—held Thursday evening as part of their homework to form a new government, ended without making headway.Emerging from the meeting, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the parties have agreed to continue discussion on Friday to finalise the remaining procedure as they have agreed in principle on certain issues "First of all we have been discussing to create an environment of trust and secondly we are concentrated to prepare a common minimum programme and thirdly to prepare a code-of-conduct and at the same time we are also discussing the sharing of ministerial portfolios," Dahal said, adding, "We all have agreed to finalise it by tomorrow.Prime Minister (PM) and NC President Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist Chiarman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and former CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal remained busy in political meetings as part of their bid to form a post-election government on Thursday.PM Koirala met with Madhav Nepal, Rastriya Janashakti Party Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa and National People's Front Nepal Chairman Chitra Bahadur KC consulted the power equation for the next government.Likewise, Maoist Chairman Dahal consulted with UML General Secretary Jhala Nath Khanal.In a meeting held at former UML parliamentarian Bishwa Lal Maharjan's house at Balkumari in Lalitpur district today, Koirala discussed the new government formation and power-sharing with Nepal.Nepal informed that he discussed the formation of a national consensus government in the Maoists' leadership, sharing of ministries and the agreements to be adhered to by the Maoists, among other issues, with the PM.During the meeting, Koirala and Nepal agreed to improve the relation between the UML and NC and take the peace process to a logical end.The former UML General Secretary informed that there was no discussion on government, as accused by some of the Maoist leaders, to form a government excluding the CPN-Maoist.Nepal, however, remarked that the Maoists would not have to face this kind of difficult situation hadn't they betrayed UML during the presidential election. He added that it would take some more time to heal the wound.Similarly, CPN-UML General Secretary Jhala Nath Khanal and Maoist Chairman Dahal held consolations in a bid to form a national unity government.Chairman Dahal and his second in command leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai went to Khanal's Chauni residence to discuss the government formation.Talking to journalists after the meeting, Khanal said that his party was still in favour of forming a national government based on consensus.The meeting of the two largest communist parties occurred in the wake of doubts about the formation of a national consensus government.During his meeting with UML, the Maoist Chairman said that the role of NC was doubtful regarding the formation of a new government, sources said.Khanal had consulted with Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel before meeting with the Maoist leaders.Meanwhile, UML General Secretary Jhala Nath Khanal said that the best option for now is to form a national government under the Maoist leadership even if there are number of alternatives regarding a new government, in a programme organised at the UML central office at Balkhu in the capital today.On Tuesday, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav had extended the deadline to form a national unity government by three days as per the wishes of the Maoists and other three largest parties in the Constituent Assembly.

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