Nepali Congress and CPN-UML agree in principle to share power

The Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, which emerged as the top two parties in the recent assembly polls, have agreed in principle to share power in a new government that is expected to draft Nepal's new Constitution.
The parties, however, failed to agree on how top positions like the President, Prime Minister and Speaker of the Constituent Assembly would be shared, the Kathmandu Post reported.
The two parties, which had been in informal talks for the last few days, came up with a three-point agreement at a meeting yesterday.
In the agreement signed by NC President Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal, the parties expressed commitment "to respect the people's verdict in the election" and to complete drafting of a new constitution within the stipulated time of one year.

They also agreed to initiate dialogue with Prachanda-led UCPN (Maoist) that has been threatening to boycott the 601-seat Constituent Assembly after a bashing in the recent polls.
"We respect the fresh verdict reflected in the election and agreed to go ahead in unison to complete the unfulfilled political responsibilities," the agreement said.

The UCPN (Maoist), which was the largest party after the 2008 election, has refused to take the seats it secured under the proportional representation category, alleging that widespread rigging was behind their disappointing performance in the November 19 polls.
The Maoists have been refusing to join the CA unless an independent commission is formed to probe the "poll irregularities".

CPN-UML's General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel said the NC and his party are holding separate discussions with the Maoist today. A three-party meeting will be convened once their bilateral meetings are over, he added.
NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula said, "Winning or losing the election is always natural in periodic elections. The Maoists have no other alternative but to accept the election result. Polls were not rigged."
Situala hoped that the new CA will be constituted by December-end.
The Nepali Congress, one of the country's oldest parties, won 196 of the 575 seats up for grabs in the November 19 polls, pushing the former ruling Maoists into third place.

The CPN-UML secured 175 seats while UCPN (Maoists), who swept Nepal's first post-civil war elections in 2008, were humiliated with a tally of 80 seats.