KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 19
CPN (Unified Socialist) leader Madhav Kumar Nepal today assured partners of the ruling alliance that he was not looking for alternative coalition. He, however, warned major partners of the tieup not to be arrogant while sharing key posts.
His warning could be interpreted as aimed at the CPN-Maoist Centre, which is believed to be in talks with the CPN-UML to put the Nepali Congress, the largest party in the House of Representatives, under pressure while negotiating for key post in the process of government formation. The coalition partners will divide top posts - president, vice-president, speaker, deputy speaker, and chief ministers -- among themselves.
Addressing a meeting of the party's newly elected members of the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies, Nepal said, "We are committed to keeping the current alliance intact and have issued a joint statement expressing our commitment for the same.
Nepal said talks of forming a democratic alliance or left alliance were bereft of reality. "If somebody talks of left alliance, that should be considered a ploy to mislead people," he added.
Nepal's remarks come at a time when the air is thick with fear that the ruling alliance may break on vexing issues of who should lead the next coalition government first - the Nepali Congress or the CPN- MC - and who should get the post of the president when Bidhya Devi Bhandari's tenure ends in March.
Nepal's statement assumes significance at a time when CPN- UML is trying to create rift in the ruling alliance with the motive of forming a leftist alliance.
Nepal told party lawmakers that the ruling alliance would induct other new parties into its fold.
He said his party lost four HoR seats as the party failed to cross the three per cent PR vote threshold by a few thousand votes.
Stating that the party should review its weaknesses, Nepal urged party lawmakers to do things in a manner that could win people's hearts and minds.
"The rise of new political forces has thrown challenges to traditional forces and we must adapt to the new reality," he said.
Nepal said ironically voters did not trust time-tested leaders but had shown faith in newbies with no political experience. He was referring to the Rastriya Swatantra Party which won 20 HoR seats - seven under the FPTP system and 13 under the proportional representation system. The CPN (US), on the other hand, has won 10 FPTP seats in the HoR and has 24 members in provincial assemblies.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 20, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
