Nepal Maoists quit coalition government

Prachanda claims he will form next govt with backing of Opp. NC.

Prime Minister K.P. Oli-led coalition government in Nepal on Tuesday plunged into a serious crisis after Prachanda’s Maoist party withdrew support to the embattled leader and claimed that he will form the next government with the backing of Opposition Nepali Congress.

CPN (Maoist Centre) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, in a statement, said his party withdrew support to the 9-month old CPN-UML-led coalition government as Mr Oli was hesitating to implement the past agreements -— the 9-point agreement signed between the two parties in May and the gentlemen’s agreement for the change of guard.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Prachanda referred to the promulgation of new Constitution and the past agreements, and said his party was always in favour of forging a national consensus. He further said the party’s decision to withdraw support from the government would help build the national consensus. “Our party saw the need for national consensus to implement the new statute, complete the remaining tasks of peace process along with the transitional justice, resolve the issues raised by Madhesis, Janajatis and Tharus, and provide relief to the people and carry out reconstruction of the country in the wake of the last year’s devastating earthquake,” reads the letter.

“And the spirit of nine-point agreement that the Maoist party and CPN-UML forged in May was also national consensus,” he pointed out. “But as the leadership of the existing government was not ready to implement the nine-point agreement and the three-point gentlemen’s agreement (including change in government leadership), it would be politically inappropriate for our party to remain in this government. Thus, we withdraw our support from this government now.”