Prachanda disapproves possibility of a non-Maoist Government

Kathmandu, May 18 (ANI): Nepal caretaker Prime Minister and Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has accused the UML-led new coalition of trying to derail the peace process.

Addressing a mass meeting organised by his party here on Sunday, Prachanda said, "On the surface it looks like an attempt to bring down the Maoist-led government, but their intention is to disrupt the peace process. They want to push the country into disarray."

Prachanda said the Maoist party would not backtrack from the peace process despite being provoked to do so.

"We will fight peacefully to make sure that the new Constitution is drafted and peace process concluded," he added.

He further claimed that he was aware of the President Ram Baran Yadav's move two weeks beforehand, as the move was being devised "somewhere else".

He also accused the parties of being guided by foreign powers in the entire development since the onset of the army chief row.

"They are not doing this on their own. Attempts are being made to snatch away the right of Nepali people to self-decision.

They were involved in all sorts of immoral practices to secure a simple majority to form the new government, Nepalnews quoted him as saying.

He was addressing the mass meeting hours after the UML-led coalition of 22 parties submitted signatures of majority of lawmakers to Constituent Assembly chairman Subas Nemang.

Senior UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal is all set to become a new Prime Minister with the support of some 350 lawmakers.

The formation of new government was protracted owing to indecision on the MJF's part that was demanding commitment from the UML-Nepali Congress alliance to implement the eight-point agreement the government made with the Madhesi front.

The other constituents of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) including the MJF, the Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP) and the Sadbhavana Party (SP) had decided to support UML-led coalition in exchange for addressing the Madhesi demands.

The UML and the Nepali Congress alliance with 108 and 114 seats in the Constituent Assembly respectively, has garnered support from 350 lawmakers of the MJF with 53 seats, the TMLP with 21, SP with 9, the RPP with 4 among other fringe parties. (ANI)