CPN-MC’s Dahal to succeed Oli as PM: UML

Kathmandu February 11

CPN-UML leaders have offered to make CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal the prime minister for two-and-a-half years after UML Chair KP Sharma Oli completes two-and-a-half years as prime minister.

UML Chair KP Sharma Oli held a meeting with senior leaders of the party — Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal, Bamdev Gautam and Subas Chandra Nembang — last night and decided to offer premiership to Dahal for two-and-a-half years.  Khanal told THT that Oli and Dahal would become the PM by turns.

UML leaders reached this conclusion yesterday after CPN-MC Chair Dahal said in Chitwan that he was ready to make a totally new move if needed to achieve goals of prosperity and stability in the country.

Earlier, the UML was unwilling to share any of the three key posts -- the PM, president or unified party’s chairperson -- with the CPN-MC.  “The unification process is moving in a positive direction after UML leaders agreed to share power with us,� a CPN-MC leader quoted Dahal as saying. “Party unification will be announced within a few days after forging consensus,� Khanal said.

According to Khanal, UML leaders have reached understanding that they will not be rigid on organisational structure, while the two parties try to adopt a common political ideology.

Oli and Dahal will hold a meeting soon and will call a Party Unity Coordination Committee meeting to iron out differences on key issues.

CPN-MC leader Narayan Dahal said people’s multi-party democracy would not be acceptable to the CPN-MC. Narayan Dahal said old ideologies of the UML and CPN-MC will give way to a new ideology. “We should formulate new ideology to reach socialism. The old ideologies were formulated to achieve people’s democracy,� he added.

UML and CPN-MC had forged an electoral alliance and had fielded candidates in parliamentary and provincial elections in a ratio of 60:40. A task force formed by the left alliance has been working on a common minimum programme of the new government on the basis of their joint election manifesto.

They had also reached understanding on sharing top posts in provinces in 70:30 ratio, with the lion’s share going to the CPN-UML.

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