The seven-month-old Nepal government led by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli today faced a crisis after cracks developed in the ruling alliance with the UCPN-Maoist deciding to form a national unity government under the leadership of party supremo Prachanda.
A meeting of the high-level body of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal(UCPN-Maoist) exerted pressure on the party's leadership to make efforts to form a national unity government under the leadership of Prachanda and asked the Nepali Congress, Madhesi parties and other fringe parties to join the new government.
Prachanda, known for his anti-India stance, had served as Prime Minister of Nepal for a brief period from August 18, 2008 to May 25, 2009.
The move by Prachanda's party has threatened the seven-month-old coalition government led by CPN-UML chairman Oli.
Although the Maoists have not yet officially announced the withdrawal of support from the Oli-led coalition but next meeting of the party Standing Committee scheduled tomorrow is likely to take a decision in this regard, said party insiders.
However, senior UCPN-Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma talking to PTI said that though the party has decided to form a national unity government, it has not yet decided who should lead the new government.
Main opposition Nepali Congress is also not happy with the working style of Oli-led government.
Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba, who has returned from a week-long personal visit to India last week said that the government is unilaterally making all political appointments in the key posts sidelining the main opposition.
The Nepali Congress has also reached out to the Maoists and Madhesi parties in a bid to find an alternative to the coalition government.
If the rift between ruling alliance widens, Oli government might be prevented from presenting the budget later this month.
The agitating Madhesi parties are also not happy with the coalition led by Oli as the government has turned deaf ears towards the demands of the Madhesi parties, that had launched six-month-long agitation in which more than 50 people were killed.
The Nepali Congress and the Maoists have accused Prime
minister Oli for failing to implement the new Constitution, address the problems related to the Madhesi people, expedite the post-quake reconstruction work, failing to check soaring market price and promoting black marketing and corruption.
Oli held a dinner meeting with the Maoistchief Prachanda yesterday to mend ties but the prime minister's efforts appear to have failed.
Oli yesterday also asked his party lawmakers to present themselves effectively during the Parliament session.
In the parliamentary party's meeting held at parliament building in New Baneshwor, Oli directed his party lawmakers to be prepared to counter any move by the Nepali Congress, the main opposition party in the parliament, as it may put obstruction when the government will present its policy documents in the parliament next week.
