Koirala asks Prachanda to form new government

{image-G P_ Koirala03_24052008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Kathmandu, May 24: Prime Minister and the head of state Girija Prasad Koirala today called on the CPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda to take initiative to form next government.

No other party has got clear majority in the recent Constitution Assembly (CA) polls held in April but the Maoists emerged as the largest party with 220 seats in the 601-seat Constituent Assembly. Mr Koirala called the Maoists to take initiative to form a new government during a meeting of the major political parties including the Nepali Congress (NC), Maoists and the UML.

Maoist Chairman Prachanda is expected to present a proposal concerning the formation of the next government at a meeting of top leaders scheduled for tomorrow, NC vice-president and Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel was quoted in the local media as saying.

The parties are set to declare the implementation of the abolition of monarchy and declare Nepal a federal democratic republic on May 28, the date set for the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly.

UNI