Nepal Parliament begins process to elect new govt

Kathmandu, Aug 11 (PTI) The Constituent Assembly in Nepal
Sunday started the process to put in place a new government
after the country's president directed the House to elect a
government through a majority vote.

Ram Baran Yadav Sunday formally directed the chairman of
the Assembly Subhash Nemwang to begin the process for the
formation of a government under Article 38(2) of the interim
Constitution.

Yadav called upon the political parties wishing to form
the next government to prove their majority under Article
38(2) of the interim Constitution.

"As the formation of the government through consensus
under Article 38 (1) could not take place within the
stipulated time, now the Article 38(2) will be activated," the
President said in his letter, which was read out in the
601-member Assembly Sunday.

The President Saturday dispatched a letter to Nemwang
directing him to begin the process for forming a new
government.

Nepal's mainstream parties -- CPN-Maoist, Nepali
Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) --
earlier failed to reach a consensus on a Maoist-led coalition
within the stipulated 10 days set by the president as they
could not agree on the distribution of key portfolios of
defence, home and finance in the new government.

On Tuesday, President Yadav had extended by three days
the deadline he had given for the parties to reach a consensus
on a new government led by the Maoist, who emerged as the
single largest party in the April 10 election for the House.

However, political leaders expressed the hope that there
was still place for fielding a consensus candidate for the
Prime Minister's post, with formal and informal consultations
continuing among the mainstream parties.

Meanwhile, a key meeting of the CPN-Maoist and Nepali
Congress today failed to end the deadlock over power sharing,
with the former rebels rejecting the demand for parting with
the defence portfolio.

"Our bottom line is defence ministry, which is essential
for maintaining the power balance," said Nepali Congress
general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi.

However, Nidhi said Maoist chief Prachanda promised to
come up with a final decision regarding their demand after
holding internal meeting of the party.

He said it is not fair for the Maoists to be in control
of the national army as well as the 20,000 strong militia of
the former guerrillas.

The CPN-UML is pushing for a government of consensus
rather than one formed by a majority. CPN-UML leader K. P.
Sharma Oli said his party will not join a government led by
CPN-Maoist if the Nepali Congress is excluded.

The major parties are unlikely to lend support to a
Maoist-led government unless they part with the crucial home
and defence ministries, party sources said.

The political parties have been deadlocked over power
sharing since the abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy on
May 28. The CPN-Maoist, who ended their decade-long insurgency
after a peace pact with the government in 2006, need the
support of mainstream parties to form a government since they
failed to get a majority in the landmark Constituent Assembly
election. PTI SBP