Indian Ambassador meets Prachanda

Kathmandu, Aug 5: Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood met Maoist chairman Prachanda on Tuesday, Aug 5 at his residence in Naya Bazar at a time the Maoists are trying to woo the parties to form a government under their leadership.

Maoists chairman Prachand is learnt to have informed the Indian Ambassador about the initiative taken to form a new government under the Maoists leadership while Mr Sood is said to have advised to form a government of national consensus. The meeting is taking place at a time the four major parties: Maoists, Nepali Congress, UML and MJF have agreed in principle to form a government of national consensus.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has already resigned and the government has not been formed as there is no clear majority of any party in the 601 Constituent Assembly (CA). The largest party Maoist has 227 seats in the CA which is short of 73 seats.

The Nepali Congress, UML and MJF have formed an alliance when the Maoists refused to support PM Koirala as President and decided to form leftist alliance excluding the Nepali Congress in the presidential polls.

Maoist backed candidate was defeated by Nepali Congress leader Dr Ram Baran Yadav in the presidential election last month.

Maoists' efforts to form a leftist alliance could not be materialised as the Maoists did not support the CPN, UML candidate former general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal for the presidential post.

UNI