Nepali Congress to explore option of reviving NC-UML-MJF alliance

Kathmandu, Aug 14 : The Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to explore the option of reviving the alliance among the NC, the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) and the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF).

During a central committee meeting on Wednesday Nepali Congress leaders decided to hold talks with the UML and the MJF for this purpose.

On the question of whether Nepali Congress will field its candidate for the Prime Minister post, Nepali Congress leader Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat said they would reach the decision regarding fielding the candidate from NC or other parties after holding talks with them.

After the Maoists refused to provide the Defense Ministry portfolio to Nepali Congress, the latter has decided not to join the Maoist-led government.

Most of the Nepali Congress leaders have said that it was not proper to let the Maoists handle the security-related portfolio since the peace process had not yet been taken to logical conclusion.

The Constituent Assembly (CA) is set to elect the Prime Minister on August 15.

Article 38 (2) of the Interim Constitution provides that the Prime Minister shall be elected through a majority of two-thirds of the members of the Legislature-Parliament, if consensus cannot be reached.

On Sunday, President Ram Baram Yadav had called on the Constituent Assembly to take initiatives for forming a new government through vote since the CPN-Maoist failed to form a new government based on national consensus even by the extended deadline, Nepalnews reported.

ANI