Nepal to elect PM on Friday

Nepal’s Parliament will elect on Friday the country’s new Prime Minister after being directed by the President to initiate...

Nepal’s Parliament will elect on Friday the country’s new Prime Minister after being directed by the President to initiate the Government formation process through a majority vote in the wake of Maoists’ repeated failure to forge consensus among key parties.

The Parliament Working Procedure Management Committee has decided to hold the election of Prime Minister on Friday, according to sources in the Constituent Assembly. The nominations for the top post will be accepted on Thursday, they said.

In the 601-strong Assembly, to get their candidate elected as Prime Minister, any combination of political parties would need the magic number of 301 votes.

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After the Maoists, who had emerged the top group in the April 10 polls, failed to form an all-party consensus Government under Article 38(1) of the Constitution, President Ram Baran Yadav called for initiating the process of Government formation through majority voting in the Constituent Assembly as per the Article 38(2). However, a detailed election programme is yet to be announced.

The major parties had failed to reach consensus on Government formation after the Maoists rejected the Nepali Congress’ demand for the defence portfolio.

The parties have now intensified consultations in order to field a consensus candidate so that Prime Minister could be elected unopposed and a Government involving all major groups could be formed, said CPN-UML central member Shanker Pokharel.

“Although the Maoists can form a majority Government with the support from the CPN-UML, we want that a government based on national consensus be formed with the inclusion all major political parties including the Nepali Congress,” he said.