Nepal's largest party expedites talks to form national unity government

Nepal's largest party Nepali Congress (NC) has expedited talks with parties represented in the Constituent Assembly (CA) for the formation of the government under its leadership, party leaders said on Saturday. NC, a centrist party, is saying that its first priority is formation of a national unity government which means forming the government on the basis of consensus among parties. If the first attempt fails, the party plans to form a government under its leadership securing the majority votes in currently 575-members House. Earlier, NC had dispatched a letter to 30 parties in the Parliament seeking requesting to support for the formation of the government. "If we fail to form national unity government, we will expedite homework for the formation of majority government from House," NC President Sushil Koirala, who is also the party's prime ministerial candidate, told the press on Friday. In Nepal, constitution has provided two ways for the formation of the government. The article 38(1) has the provision of formation of national unity government, while article 38(2) has the provision of majority government. The first provision provides right to president to form government, while the second option provides right to House if first option does not work. Nepal is struggling to form an elected government that will replace the incumbent government led by the chief justice of the country which was merely formed to hold the election on March 13. 2013. Government formation process began in Nepal after the first meeting of Parliament on Jan. 22. The head of the state has provided a week for the formation of new government. The deadline provided by the head of the state will expire on Sunday. If parties request the president to extend the deadline with a promise of forming a national unity government, he is likely to provide more times. If parties fail to forge consensus, the president will write to the CA to elect new prime minister from the House. Nepal held the second election to CA on Nov. 19 last year which ended the political and constitutional crisis that emerged after the dissolution of CA in 2012. The government formation process is delayed due to the dispute among the parties. In 2008, it took four months for the formation of government due to the wrangling among the parties and many fear that same situation might be repeated this time around.