Online Khabar

Kathmandu, October 5

A group that does not want Nepali Congress President and incumbent Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to head a new government has started raising its voice in the NC fold. This comes at a time when Koirala is lobbying outside of the party fold to retain the top job.

The Sher Bahadur Deuba camp maintains that Koirala should quit the top post, but Congress should still be at the helm of the government. NC central working committee member Bal Krishna Khand, who is considered close to Deuba, said Deuba should become the prime minister as he is a unifying figure and take all concerned into confidence.

Khand clarified the NC has not been informed about the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to make CPN-UML Chair KP Oli the new prime minister. If such is the case, leaders should inform the party, he said. If there has been an agreement on vacating the PM’s post to install Oli, the agreement should be tabled at the party, he said. Khand stressed the need to keep the promise if it had been made.

It’s not that Oli should not become the prime minister, but Koirala should not continue as PM Khand said.

Online Khabar’s Matrika Poudel talked to NC leader Khand on the issue. Excerpts from the interview:   

Is the Congress bent on not handing over government leadership to the UML?

We have not said that. But thing to note is that Nepali Congress emerged as the biggest party through Constituent Assembly elections. Then it asked parties for support to form a government under its leadership. With parties support, NC President Sushil Koirala became prime minister of a government whose main objective was to promulgate a constitution on time. In terms of strength in the Parliament, the CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress are almost equal.

Now that the government comprising parties, that bagged almost two-third of votes in CA elections, has introduced a constitution, we are open on forming a new government. This is not the case of not giving leadership of a new government to the UML, for talks aimed at forming such a dispensation have just begun.

Is it not true that an agreement was made to give leadership of new government to UML while reaching a seven-point deal that made Sushil Koirala PM, and while signing a 16-point deal for constitution promulgation?

With the promulgation of the constitution, the process for election of a new prime minister has already begun. At this juncture, it will be good for the country to maintain unity between the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the UCPN-Maoist. Regarding the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ about handing over the PM’s post to UML is concerned, let me clarify that no such agreement has been tabled at the NC central working committee. There’s no written record of it. Party leadership, including party President, have not informed us about the said agreement. Without knowing about the deal, the question of handing over the PM’s post to the UML does not arise.

Is the gentleman’s agreement on making CPN-UML Chair KP Oli new prime minister not an open secret? 

The Congress central working committee is unaware of any agreement between the NC and the CPN-UML on rotational leadership of the government. No such agreement has been tabled at the CWC. A new scenario is evolving after constitution promulgation. Personally, I’m in favour of forming a broad consensus government by involving the UCPN-Maoist, too.

Who will lead such a government?

As the Congress is the biggest party, I want a consensus government formed under its leadership.