The Hindu : International : NC, UML will not join Nepal coalition

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Friday, Jul 18, 2008
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NC, UML will not join Nepal coalition

Prerana Marasini

KATHMANDU: Failing to arrive at an agreement to elect the President based on a consensus, the Nepali Congress (NC) and Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) have blamed the Maoists for being ‘opportunistic’.

UML leader Bishnu Paudel told The Hindu on Thursday: “They [Maoists] forgot their friends who had signed a 12-point agreement and who joined them in the Peoples’ Revolution.”Talking to reporters on Thursday, NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel said: “Instead of trying to find a consensus, the Maoists showed an opportunistic character.”

The presidential election is slated for Saturday, and the results will be announced on the same day. Three persons have registered as candidates for the first presidential elections. The Maoists nominated Ramraja Prasad Singh, the NC has chosen Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, and Ram Preet Paswan has been chosen by the UML.

All the nominees hail from the Terai region. Earlier, the UML had said it would nominate its former general secretary, Madhav Kumar Nepal, for the President’s post. As it could not reach an agreement with the Maoists, Mr. Paswan was nominated. The three Madhes-based parties — the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party and Nepal Sadbhavana Party — have extended support to Mr. Singh. With the backing of these parties, he is likely to be elected President.

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