Kathmandu, May 3

A senior aide of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today claimed that the incumbent ruling coalition of Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Centre would remain intact even after the local level elections.

The PM’s Political Adviser Chakrapani Khanal said Dahal would also tender his resignation in the third week of May once the first phase of elections were held and he would back Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to become the new prime minister as per an earlier understanding.

When the incumbent government was formed under the leadership of CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Dahal in August last year, NC and CPN-Maoist Centre had worked out a gentlemen’s agreement to hand over power to NC President Deuba after nine months.

“The CPN-Maoist Centre and Nepali Congress alliance will continue even after the polls,” Khanal told The Himalayan Times.

“This alliance will remain intact to hold provincial and parliamentary elections.”

The local level elections are being held in two phases — in provinces 3, 4, and 6 on May 14 ; and in provinces 1, 2, 5, and 7 on June 14.

In a separate interaction held in the capital today, Khanal said the ruling coalition, especially the CPN-MC wouldn’t indulge in any dirty game of toppling governments, but abide by the earlier understanding.

A senior Nepali Congress leader, however, cast doubt that PM Dahal could seek time for announcing the new budget and holding the second phase of local polls before putting in his paper.

Earlier, Nepali Congress leader and Minister for Defence Bal Krishna Khand had also claimed that the NC and CPN-MC collation would continue and as per the understanding, PM Dahal was ready to hand over power to Deuba right after the first phase of polls.

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