Kathmandu, January 26

A standing committee meeting of the ruling CPN-Maoist Centre today began discussion on the possibility of electing president through consensus.

Although the constitution has envisaged the president as a figurehead, the Office of President ran into controversy when President Bidhya Devi Bhandari used pocket veto against the citizenship bill. President Bhandari is also sitting on an ordinance sent by the Sher Bahadur Deuba government seeking to amend the penal code bill that could allow the government to withdraw cases against 'political prisoners.' CPN-Maoist Centre leader Devendra Paudel told mediapersons after the meeting that his party discussed the possibility of electing the new president on the basis of national consensus.

He hinted on fielding an apolitical person who has gained recognition for exemplary contribution to his/her field of expertise and is acceptable to all parties.

Paudel said his party was of the view that the new president should be elected through the consent of both the CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress.

'If we can elect a person acceptable to all the parties, that will be good because such a president can prevent possible violation of the constitution, protect the constitution, and ensure that the hung parliament completes its fiveyear term,' Paudel said.

He said his party leaders were of the view that the kind of unity parties showed during the trust vote for Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in the House of Representatives should also reflect in the presidential election.

He said the president should be a person who could embody the spirit of the constitution. Article 61 of the constitution stipulates that the president shall promote national unity and his/her main duty is to abide by and protect the constitution.

He cited the example of Indian scientist APJ Abdul Kalam who was elected the president of India and was widely acceptable across the political spectrum, Paudel said. Such a president embodies the spirit of the constitution. 'The president's post cannot become a bargaining tool for the parties,' he added.

The CPN-UML, however, is opposed to the idea of electing the president on the basis of consensus.

Recently, UML Chair Oli had said that his party would field a candidate for the post of president and if all parties supported the UML candidate, that would reflect national consensus.

A CPN-MC leader, who declined to be quoted, told THT that the party chair expressed his dissatisfaction with Oli for seeking important Cabinet portfolios for his party's lawmakers.

'From Dahal's briefing today, I got a hint that Oli uses two partners of the seven-party alliance - the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the Rastriya Swatantra Party - to pressure Dahal,' the source added.

The source said that Dahal was not confident that he would get full support from Oli during his premiership. 'Both Oli and Dahal want to maximise their political benefits.

What Dahal could do in the presidential elections is yet not clear, but it won't be surprising if he aligns with the NC and the Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal again,' the leader added.

According to the source, Dahal kept saying that his premiership was 'difficult and challenging'.

CPN-MC standing committee meeting will continue tomorrow.

A version of this article appears in the print on January 27, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.