What next?

Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala has urged President Ram Baran Yadav to begin the process for forming a majority government, as UCPN (M) and RPP-N have opted to remain in the opposition after Sunday’s all party meeting.

“Consensus couldn’t be forged among all parties. A majority government has to be set up now,” Koirala said.

In today’s all party meeting, the UCPN (Maoist) chaired by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and RPP-N headed by Kamal Thapa announced that they would remain in the opposition. The UCPN (M) further said that it would play a constructive role of opposition to promulgate a new constitution within next year.

Madhav Kumar Nepal of CPN-UML, the second largest party in the newly elected Constituent Assembly, meanwhile, has said that a coalition government is possible only when the NC presents a clear road map for power sharing.

“We can join the government only if our party gets a respectable position in the government,” UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said in a program today.

The first period provided by President Yadav to form a consensus government expires today. As per the constitutional provision, President Yadav is expected to provide the second period to form a majority government shortly.