Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Discussions among parties have intensified as the election for the position of President draws closer.
The ruling coalition has failed to name a common candidate for the post, while the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) is hopeful of getting the support of CPN (Maoist Center) for its candidate.
CPN-UML is adamant that it should get the post as per the understanding reached among the coalition partners while supporting Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal for the post of Prime Minister on December 25 last year. At that time, the two parties also agreed to hold the post of Prime Minister by turns.
However, Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is now saying that the president should be elected on the basis of national consensus, much to the dismay of UML.
While UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Maoist Center Chairman Dahal are holding discussions repeatedly to iron out differences, consensus has been eluding them. Dahal has been saying that since NC gave a vote of confidence to him, he should also take NC into confidence while selecting the candidate for the position of President.
There are fears that the lack of consensus among the main coalition partners could break the coalition. Dahal wants to hold the office for a full term of five years, and NC leaders have hinted that they would support Dahal for five years in return for his support to the party in the presidential election. It is because of this assurance that Dahal is leaning toward the NC in recent days.
Dahal’s strategy is that UML would leave the coalition if it doesn’t get his party’s support in the presidential election. Should that happen, Dahal plans to join hands with the NC.
Dahal has been dissatisfied with Oli since the UML Chairman was made the coordinator of the high-level political mechanism of the coalition parties.
“Maoist Center leaders say UML pushed the Maoist Center into a corner while sharing power among coalition parties. ‘He bargains with us showing fringe parties like Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP),’ Dahal party leaders said during the recently held party’s secretariat committee meeting.”
In fact, Dahal has been dissatisfied since the day Oli was made the coordinator of the high-level political mechanism of the coalition parties. Dahal is looking for someone who is close to him to be the President. His wish is that Oli’s “yes man” should not be the President.
Sources say Dahal plans to support the NC candidate for the post of President and the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) candidate for the post of Vice President. His plan is to make a strong coalition by bringing NC and JSP on board.
Toeing Dahal’s line, JSP has been saying that it should get the post of Vice President. The meeting of the party’s executive committee held on Sunday also took a decision to this effect. JSP, too, has said that a national consensus has to be sought for the post of President.
