Nepal: Maoist Center to seek consensus from ruling parties to lead government

Kathmandu [Nepal], December 4 (ANI): The second round meeting of the standing committee of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Center on Sunday decided to proceed with consensus and understanding with all parties.
Making a U-turn from the decision of Saturday to seek an alliance with the opposition CPN-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), the Maoist Center decided to seek consensus within the ruling alliance.
"The party would go ahead after discussing the government formation within the coalition party," General Secretary Dev Gurung confirmed to ANI over the phone.
He said that the ruling coalition would hold a meeting tomorrow after reviewing the election and forming an opinion on the government formation. The coalition meeting has been called for 3 PM (Local Time) on Monday at the official residence of the Prime Minister.
"I don't know in what context the spokesperson talked about the alternative to the incumbent coalition yesterday," he said, adding, "However, the option of government formation has not been discussed so far."
On Sunday's meeting, some of the members of 25-member standing committee also demanded a special party convention in wake of the performance seen in the general election held on November 20. In the latest round of the general election half of the 10 central committee members who stood in the fray were defeated which has been attributed to "low transfer of vote" from other coalition members.
"Some of the members raised the issue of special convention claiming 'reformation' is required within the party and functioning," a leader told ANI.
The CPN-Maoist Center on November 20's election has only been able to secure 17 seats under FPTP (First-Past-The-Post) system in the lower house- the House of Representatives. The Nepali Congress which has been leading the incumbent government assigned to conduct the election has won the highest number of seats-57 under the FPTP. CPN-UML has stood second with 44 seats under the FPTP system.
The Maoist Center has always remained on board the government whosoever has become the Prime Minister and the party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has held the post twice since it came to politics with the signing of peace accord. The final result of the November 20 election is still due with vote counting already completed in 164 constituencies. Only one in the Dolakha district is underway after it underwent re-election on the 1st of December.
According to the Election Commission, the final results will be published in a day or two. Soon after the poll body dispatches the details of the newly elected members of parliament, the new members will be sworn in amid a special event, according to the parliament secretariat.
The eldest member of the parliament will administer an oath of office and secrecy to the new members. Prior to that, he or she will be sworn in by the president.
Soon after the oath taking ceremony, the new members will participate in their first House meeting. The Speaker of the House, will then be elected within 15 days of the first meeting. (ANI)