Pokhara, July 12:

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula today blamed lack of responsibility on the part of Maoists for the delay in government formation.

Speaking at a press conference in Pokhara, Sitaula said, “The major reason behind the delay in the formation of a new government is that the CPN-Maoist is not moving ahead to forge a consensus.”

“Lack of responsibility on the part of the Maoists as the largest party to forge consensus among the political parties and by proposing different names for the presidential post are the reasons behind the delay in government formation,” he said.

He said NC president and PM Girija Prasad Koirala should be made the first President, as it was Koirala under whose leadership CA polls were held successfully and democratic movement succeeded on the ground of the 12-point pact.

He also said consensus was impossible if the Maoists were to claim all major posts, including the President and prime minister. “In that case, NC will stay out of the government,” he said. He stressed the need for unity among all parties as no single party could solve all the problems facing the nation.

He said the new government would be formed within a week after passing the bill to amend the interim constitution, adding that consultations on power-sharing were being intensified.

He warned that chaos would reign supreme if a new constitution was not drafted within two years.

He said no agreement had been reached to declare entire Madhes as a single province. Saying that NC had not developed a model of federalism yet, he said it was natural for Tharus, Muslims and other ethic communities to seek autonomous states and that broad discussion was needed on federalism.