Maoists quit government

The CPN (Maoist-Centre), the ruling UML's main coalition partner, has decided to withdraw its support of the KP Oli government.

After a meeting with top Maoist leaders at his own residence in Lazimpat on Tuesday, the CPN (Maoist-Centre) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal sent a letter to Prime Minister KP Oli saying his party is no longer in the government.

Now, if PM Oli fails to persuade Dahal to withdraw his decision – which he succeeded in doing two months ago – his government will collapse. The Maoists are likely to forge a coalition with the main opposition NC and form a new government.

In the letter to PM Oli, Dahal justified his party's decision by blaming the ruling UML for failing to implement the nine-point agreement signed between the two sides in May.

In the first week of May, the Maoists were all set to pull the rug out from under the Oli government and form a new coalition with the NC. However, hours before the Maoists and the NC were to sign a pact, Oli persuaded Dahal to stay in the government by signing the nine-point agreement.