Kathmandu, June 3

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba today met UML Chair KP Sharma Oli at the latter’s residence and sought the UML’s support for his prime ministerial bid and urged him to end House obstruction.

Oli’s aide Anish Dahal said Oli told Deuba that his party’s lawmakers would not end House obstruction unless the Election Commission’s decision to conduct re-polling in Ward 19 of Bharatpur Metropolis was reversed. “As for the prime ministerial election, this process has not entered the Parliament and hence it is against parliamentary norms,” Dahal quoted Oli as telling Deuba.

Deuba also met Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal leaders and sought their support for his candidacy.

According to NC Chief Whip Chinkaji Shrestha, RJP-N leaders told Deuba they could vote for him only if the new coalition assured them that the constitution would be amended; the number of local levels would be increased in Madhes and representatives of the Upper House of the Parliament would be elected in proportion to the population of Madhes. The RJP-N will decide on the matter tomorrow.

Deuba filed his candidacy after Nepali Congress Central Working Committee endorsed him as the prime ministerial candidate.

Prime Minister Dahal told mediapersons at the Parliament building that he decided to hand over power smoothly to the NC in an attempt to develop a new culture.

NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi said Deuba’s candidacy had been proposed by incumbent Prime Minister Dahal and this was the beginning of a new national unity and that would continue for long.