Kathmandu, February 16

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and CPN-Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal could not hold the much-anticipated unity talks today.

Leaders from both sides said Oli and Dahal could not hold talks mainly due to lack of time and they were likely to meet tomorrow. A meeting of the Party Unification Coordination Committee could follow the two leaders’ meeting tomorrow, said UML leader Subas Chandra Nembang.

The CPN-MC, which wanted to prepare a blueprint of party unification plan a day before the formation of the new government, could not do so as UML leaders told CPN-MC leaders that they would not abandon people’s multi-party democracy and wanted PMPD to be the guiding principle of the unified party. CPN-MC leaders were of the view that the unified party should debate Maoism and Democracy in the 21st Century and let the general convention of the unified party decide which ideology to adopt.

Meanwhile, CPN-MC Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal today said his party would join the KP Sharma Oli-led government after sealing a package deal with the CPN-UML.

Addressing the fifth National Conference of Unified All Nepal Teachers Association here today, Dahal said most issues related to party unification had already been settled.

CPN-MC leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha and CPN-UML leader Subas Chandra Nembang said the two parties did not meet yesterday or today mainly because Oli and Dahal were busy.

CPN-MC leader Shrestha said the package deal would settle who would be the president, vice-president, speaker, deputy speaker and chair and deputy chair of the National Assembly, besides allocating ministries.

Both sides had earlier agreed that Oli and Dahal would take turns to become prime minister and would co-chair of the unified party.