Eight parties decide to support NC in presidential election

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s political landscape took a new direction on Friday as Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal joined forces with opposition parties, agreeing to revive the coalition formed before last year’s election.

A joint meeting of Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center), Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Loktantrik Samajbadi party, and Rastriya Jana Marcha agreed to form a new coalition.

The meeting also decided to support the candidate of the Nepali Congress in the presidential election, according to NC Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka.

Likewise, the meeting decided that three parties – NC, Maoist Center, and Unified Socialist – will lead the government in turn. As per the agreement, NC and Maoist Center will lead the government for two years each, while Unified Socialist will lead for one year.

Dahal broke the pre-election coalition after NC denied him the premiership. He then formed a new coalition with CPN-UML on December 25 with the support of UML and other fringe parties. At that time, Dahal had agreed to support the UML candidate in the presidential election. By forming a new coalition on Friday, Dahal has betrayed UML.

Sources say Deuba has told the meeting that he will name the presidential candidate on Saturday.

As per the election program made public by the Election Commission, nominations for the presidential election have to be filed on Saturday.