Online Khabar
Kathmandu, October 4 . Who will become the prime minister of Nepal, which has entered a new era with the promulgation of a federal constitution? This question is sure to elicit interest in Nepal and beyond. Three days after President addressed the Parliament, giving the parties seven days to form a consensus government, the process to begin the chief executive is gaining momentum.
Here’s a look at the contenders for the top post.
Sunday’s meeting of the CPN-UML Parliamentary Party has decided to field UML Chair KP Oli for the top post. At the same time, it has not given up hope of forming a national unity government. The party has formed a five-member taskforce to hold talks with other parties for the formation of a unity government.
Amid these developments, some UML leaders suspect India has started meddling in a fluid political situation and hatching conspiracies to prevent Oli from grabbing the top post.
Recent developments suggest that six political leaders seem vying for the top job.
Undoubtedly, the vanguard of the old guard is among them. The incumbent, Sushil Koirala, wants continuation of his government even in the changing times.
UML Chair Oli has not kept his prime ministerial aspirations hidden. The UML has been saying one thing of late: As per a gentleman’s agreement reached during the signing of the 16-point agreement that made way for promulgation of the federal constitution, it’s now Oli’s turn to become the prime minster.
So much so, senior UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has publicly warned certain forces to not play politics in the UML fold. Nepal has said there’s no alternative to Oli for the top job. While UCPN-Maoist Chair Prachanda has said Nepal too wants to become the prime minister.
Prachanda, speaking at a training organised for Maoist cadres in Kathmandu on Saturday, said various leaders are literally salivating over the PM’s post. At the same forum, the Maoist leader said his party will stake no claim on the prime minister’s and president’s positions. There’s no compulsion, though, that Oli become the PM, he said.
NC leaders Sher Bahadur Deuba and Ram Chandra Poudel are also eyeing the top post.
Poudel, who once failed to clinch the top job even after 17 rounds of voting in the House, has started saying within the party that now it’s his turn to land the top job.
It is learnt Poudel has started talks with Deuba, promising to assist the latter to get elected as the party President.
Deuba seems unimpressed, though. Congress leaders say Deuba himself wants to become the prime minister and thinks it is getting elected party president through the NC General Convention will be easy if he becomes the PM.
And Sushil Koirala is there, trying hard to throw cold water on Deuba’s aspirations. The incumbent is in favour of holding on to the government mantle. That’s why, Koirala has not resigned. The Koirala government will get a new lease of life if it seems impossible for UML leader Oli to become the prime minister – either on the basis of a consensus or a majority in the House.
In a latest twist, Madheshi leaders are also harbouring prime ministerial aspirations, according to sources. Though Madheshi leader Bijaya Gachhadar has kept mum on prime ministerial aspirations, he sure is a candidate for the top post.
But Tarai Madhesh Democratic Party and Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum (Democratic) leaders do not want Gachhadar to become PM. If they at all root for the top post, they will field TMLP Chief Mahantha Thakur. But that is a distant possibility.
Oli has high chances
UML leaders believe their leader Oli will land the top job, most probably. Even if he fails to become consensus prime minister, he is likely to get majority votes for his candidature, according to the leaders.
Keeping in mind the next election, NC wants an Oli-led majority government, while UCPN-Maoist wants a consensus government. The Maoist party has not clarified whether or not it will seek Oli’s alternative.
Dissatisfied Madheshi parties have not publicly said whether they want to join the new government or not. After boycotting the Constituent Assembly as it went ahead with the constitution-promulgation process, it’s unclear whether they will take part in the transformed House’s prime minister selection process.
In a fluid political scenario, some UML leaders are accusing some foreign forces of hatching conspiracies to retain the Koirala government, in a bid to scuttle Oli’s chance to become the new prime minister. They claim, nonetheless, that Oli will become the prime minister, come hell or high water.
