The Nepal Weekly 
July 2, 2024
The recent high level meeting between Nepal’s two largest parties Nepali Congress and CPN-UML has led to speculations that days of Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal “Prachanda” led government are numbered. Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deub went to the residence of CPN-UML chairman K.P. Sharma Oli at Balkot in Bhaktapur district on Saturday to discuss the latest political situation in the country.
Although, the details of the meeting have not been made public, there are speculations among some political sections that the two leaders might have discussed about the formation of a new coalition government giving farewell to Prachanda. Oli was not satisfied with the recent budget allocations made by the government for fiscal year 2024-25, which he had publicly spoken.
However, sources close to Prime Minister has dismissed “rumours about change in the power equation” saying that the two top leaders of the ruling alliance Prime Minister and CPN-Maoist Centre chairman Prachanda and CPN-UML chairman K.P. Sharma Oli are determined to continue the present coalition for the full term.
Prachanda and Oli held two meetings on Sunday and Monday at the Prime Minister’s Office at Baluwatar during which “the two leaders discussed about the latest political situation and ways to strengthen the present coalition government,” claimed Prime Minister’s Press advisor Govinda Acharya.
The two leaders discussed ways to make the performance of the government more efficient and taking forward the ongoing coalition government in a consolidated manner, he said. “There is no truth in rumours about change in the present coalition government and formation of a new alliance,” he added.
The two leaders agreed to include some other political parties like Nagarik Unmukti Party which voted in favour of the government during the vote of confidence, in the government, he said.
The meeting between Nepali Congress president Deuba and UML chief Oli at the latter’s residence in Balkot has been termed as meaningful by political analysts. There are speculations that during the meeting the two leaders discussed about ways to forming a new coalition to replace the present one.
Despite having taken vote of confidence by Prime Minister Prachanda thrice in his one and a half year term, the country is still plagued by political instability, pointed out political analysts.
Political stability will be maintained only if the largest party in the Parliament Nepali Congress and the second largest party CPN-UML join hand and share power, they argue. It seems unnatural when the third largest party Maoist Centre is steering the government and the largest party NC is sitting in the opposition, say critics. The Nepali Congress has 89 seats in the 275 member House of Representatives where as CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre have secured 78 and 32 seats respectively.
Independent observers closely watching the present political scenario claim that serious discussions were going on between Nepali Congress and CPN-UML to find a way out of the ongoing political uncertainty facing the country. If the two pillars of democracy, NC and UML come together politics will come into track and the much needed stability to the country will be maintained giving, they pointed out.
There are reports that suggest that Deuba and Oli agreed to share the remaining three year’s tenure of the Parliament between the two largest parties NC and CPN-UML (one and a half year term for each party). Deuba has offered Oli to become the Prime Minister in the first round and to share the post turn by turn.
Worried by the closed door meeting between Deuba and Oli, Prachanda had gone to meet Oli to assure that the government is serous about addressing issues raised by UML including its concern about the new budget, say observers.
