Kathmandu: The top leaders of Nepal’s five-party ruling coalition on Monday met at PM Sher Bahadur Deuba’s official residence to review the general elections and discuss the formation of a new government.
Nepali Congress chief Deuba, leader Ram Chandra Paudel, vice-president Purna Bahadur Khadka, CPN (Maoist Centre) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha, CPN (Unified Socialist) chair Madhav Nepal and Rastriya Janamorcha vice-chairperson Durga Paudel were among those who attended the meeting. The five-party coalition has won 90 House of Representatives seats out of 165.
During the meeting, the top leaders of the ruling alliance said the election results have re-confirmed the need and relevance of the alliance. In a statement issued after the meeting, the coalition leaders said the results have pointed at the need for moving ahead forging mutual understanding and cooperation. “It is necessary to continue the present coalition to face the challenges before the country,” said the statement.
Senior NC leader and former deputy PM Prakash Man Singh said that the meeting mainly dwelt on issues relating to power-sharing and formation of the government. PM Deuba’s Nepali Congress has emerged as the single largest party by winning 57 seats. CPN (Maoist Centre) has won 18 seats, CPN (Unified Socialist) 10, Loktantrik SamajwadiParty four and Rastriya Janamorcha one. Polls to the House of Representatives were held on November 20 to end the prolonged political instability that has plagued the nation.
Nepal’s Election Commission said the opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) got 44 seats. Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the Janata Samajwadi Party have won seven seats each. Loktantrik Samajwadi Party and Nagarik Unmukti Party have won 4 and 3 seats respectively, it said.
