KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 30
As the vote counting is nearing completion, the two big parties - the Nepali Congress and the CPN- UML - are trying to form the next government.
While the NC-led ruling alliance is more likely get close to the magic figure of 138 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives, the UML will also try to club together a coalition of smaller party and is not averse to wooing the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led CPN (Unified Socialist) back into its fold.
As of today, the Election Commission has announced results of 161 parliamentary first-past-thepost constituencies. The NC has won 54 FPTP seats and UML 44. The NC is projected to win 32 seats under the proportionate representation system and the UML 34.
NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi said the NC would first choose its parliamentary party leader, before initiating talks with its coalition partners, newly emerged political forces, and independent lawmakers.
Nidhi said Deuba would easily have majority in the parliamentary party and since the NC was the largest party in the Parliament it was natural for Deuba to lead the next government.
He said the CPN-MC and CPN (US) have said they were in favour of continuing the current coalition.
Nidhi today held talks with Janamat Party Chair CK Raut and sought his support to form the government in the centre, as well as in Madhes. Nidhi said he got a positive response from Raut.
CPN-UML leader Subas Chandra Nembang said his party would also try to form the government and would hold talks with other parties, including the CPN (US).
"Although the NC has won more FPTP seats than the UML, we are ahead in PR vote percentage, which is a measure of the party's popularity," he added.
A senior CPN-MC leader said it was natural that the current democratic-left alliance led by the Nepali Congress continued. The leader, however, said his party had not decided about government formation yet.
CPN-MC leader Lilamani Pokharel said only the left alliance could achieve goals of socialism as envisioned by the constitution, but without the CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli admitting his mistake of dissolving the House of Representatives twice, such an alliance could not be formed.
He said his party should discuss the agenda on the basis of which the ruling coalition could run its government again. "To keep the current coalition intact, leaders need to discuss what the new government will do to solve people's problems, how the government will generate employment opportunities, and how the government will try to address issues of unequal treaties with India," he said.
CPN (Unified Socialist) Spokesperson Jagannath Khatiwada said the ruling coalition was intact as of today.
"Whether the current coalition will remain intact will depend on the NC's behaviour," he added. Khatiwada said his party was waiting for the counting to end. Asked if his party could think of joining hands with the CPN-UML, Khatiwada said, "We don't expect an invitation from the UML, but if they approach us we'll think about it."
A version of this article appears in the print on December 1, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
