UML-Maoist alliance won’t work: KP Oli
UML-Maoist alliance won’t work: KP Oli
Published: 12:00 am Jul 25, 2008
Kathmandu, July 24:
Says Prime Minister should be from his party.
CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli said today that an alliance comprising his party and CPN-Maoist for the formation of new government was impossible. He said such an alliance could lead to new conflicts and failure of the Constituent Assembly.
“A Maoist-UML coalition for a new government will have an adverse impact on national politics
as the leftist parties do not command a two-third majority, necessary to frame a new constitution,” Oli told an interaction at the Reporters’ Club. “A tie-up among the leftist parties is not possible,” he said.
Oli emphasised the need of broader consensus among leftist and democratic forces to address the concerns of diverse Nepali society, saying there were ideological differences between UML, Maoists and other leftist factions.
“The new alliance comprising UML, NC and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum will never break, as it has taken care of the nation’s needs,” he said.
Oli said his party would try to bring all stakeholders together, but would not care if any among
them, including the Maoists, chose not to be part of the new government.
Oli said the UML had not agreed to offer the post of Prime Minister to MJF as claimed by Forum leader Bijay Kumar Gachhadar recently.
“Any party can lay claim to the post of PM during negotiations, but the four-point deal was just for presidential election,” he said, adding it would be better if other parties agreed to offer the post of PM to the UML. He expressed dissatisfaction over the Maoists’ bid to offer unimportant cabinet portfolios to his party.
Oli said his party was in favour of making public the agreement between the alliance partners so that all citizens would be in a position to know if there was any breach of the agreement.
The UML leader said the party that sought the post of Prime Minister should not seek important cabinet portfolios, adding his party had claimed certain portfolios.
Oli maintained that the peace process and the running of the government were two different things and the Maoists should not back out of the peace process just because they were not part of the government.
“It seems the Maoists have difficulties in accepting the verdict of democratic process because they have just transformed from an armed outfit to a civilian party,” Oli said.