KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 22

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has intensified efforts to woo the main opposition CPN- UML to secure parliamentary ratification of the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Nepal Compact.

He met CPN- UML Chair KP Sharma Oli, along with the party's senior leaders Ishwar Pokharel, Bishnu Paudel, and Bishnu Rimal in Baluwatar. This is the second time in a week that Deuba has held talks with Oli. The PM met Oli and his party leaders after two of the ruling coalition partners - CPN-Unified Socialist and CPN-Maoist Centre - decided to vote against the MCC compact that the government tabled in the House of Representatives on Sunday.

The move follows two ruling allies' decision to vote against the MCC compact

Rimal told THT that the PM sought the UML's help for the ratification of the MCC compact, but he told the PM that his party had been obstructing the House proceedings for non-fulfilment of its demands.

Deputy chief of CPN-UML Publicity Department Bishnu Rijal wrote in his Facebook post that the PM sought the UML's help for passing the MCC compact, citing non-cooperation from other coalition partners, but Oli told the PM that unless UML's demands were met, his party could not take part in parliamentary proceedings.

The United States, which will provide a grant of $500 million under the MCC compact, has set a deadline of February 28 to secure parliamentary ratification of the compact.

A version of this article appears in the print on February 23, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.