Dahal UML�s first choice for president
Dahal UML’s first choice for president
Published: 09:43 am Oct 11, 2015

Kathmandu, October 10 Unified CPN-Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal would be the CPN-UML’s first choice for presidency, if UML Chair KP Sharma Oli wins the prime ministerial election tomorrow. Oli from UML and Sushil Koirala from the Nepali Congress today filed their candidacies for the post of prime minister. According to Secretary of the CPN-UML Secretariat, Krishna Gopal Shrestha, the UML would offer the post of President to UCPN-M Chair Dahal for playing a remarkable role in the constitution making process. ‘If Koirala wins the premiership tomorrow, which is like the Sun rising from the west, we will not demand any post from the NC and neither will we offer any posts to it,” he said. Shrestha said the UML was in favour of reelecting Subas Chandra Nembang to the post of Speaker. The post of Deputy Speaker can go to Kamal Thapa led Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal. According to a RPP-N source, the party chair would get the post of deputy prime minister along with the foreign ministry portfolio. The RPP-N may get three ministries. A UCPN-M source said the new alliance would also try to bring on board Bijay Kumar Gachhadar led Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Democratic the new government. Shrestha said his party may offer the post of Vice President to a Madhesi leader preferably associated with CPN-UML and Unified CPN-Maoist. According to a UCPN-M source, there was an understanding between the two parties that UML would support UCPN-M Chairman Dahal’s bid for presidency. Besides, the UML would also offer some important portfolios, including home ministry to UCPN-M, said a source. Shrestha said his party would also try to win the confidence of Madhesi parties by addressing their concerns. “Madhes is in Nepal and Madhesis are Nepalis. We will try to address their concerns,” he added. “Our relations with India has soured but that was mainly due to poor diplomacy by the government. But when Oli becomes the new prime minister, he would try to rebuild our bilateral relations,” he added.