KATHMANDU: The chairman of the CPN-Maoist Centre, Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda,' met with Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and reportedly expressed his desire to become the country's new premier. During their meeting, the two leaders discussed ways to advance the ruling coalition and form the subsequent government.
As President Bidya Devi Bhandari considers inviting political parties to present their claims to form the next government, the meeting on Saturday assumes significance.
"The President has not yet chosen a particular day. However, "she will very soon call the parties to stake their claim," President Bhandari's press advisor Tika Dhakal informed The Kathmandu Post.
The 138 seats needed to form the new government have not been obtained by any party in the 275-member House of Representatives.
The newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has also offered to help the Nepali Congress-led five-party alliance form a government.
With 20 seats, the RSP emerged as the fourth-largest party in the November 20 elections.
According to the newspaper, Prachanda has formally sought the support of the Nepali Congress to become prime minister in the first half of the five-year term, according to Nepali Congress spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat.
According to reports, Deuba and Prachanda had reached a "gentleman's agreement" to alternately lead the government while forming an electoral alliance ahead of the November 20 elections.
Mahat stated that while Prachanda's proposal was to be expected, it would be more natural for the Nepali Congress to lead the government since it was the largest party in the elections.
According to the Himalayan Times newspaper, CPN-MC leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha stated that when asked if Prachanda sought Deuba's support to become the new prime minister, Deuba responded that all coalition partners should decide within their respective organizations.
In public forums, Prachanda has been presenting himself as a contender for executive head since well before the elections.
According to a source close to the prime minister, Deuba, who is the front-runner to become the prime minister for the sixth time, has not provided a definitive response to Prachanda.
The decision alliance, which has chosen to stay in salvageable shape to frame the following government, has different prime ecclesiastical applicants, particularly from the Nepali Congress.
At least half a dozen senior Nepali Congress leaders had made it clear during the election campaign that if they won, they would run for prime minister.
According to the party constitution, the Congress is having difficulty selecting its parliamentary party leader.
According to sources who spoke with The Kathmandu Post, despite the fact that his party won fewer seats this time, Prachanda was encouraged to stake his claim to the leadership of a new coalition after the CPN-UML led by former premier K P Sharma Oli began luring him with a promise of support for his bid for prime minister.
There are 104 seats in the House for the CPN-UML and its allies.
A couple of days back, Prachanda hosted said that his gathering has the way to framing the following government.