Nepal's President Ram Baran Yadav has extended the July 7 deadline for political parties to form a consensus government by five days.
As the major political parties could not sort out their differences on a number of issues, it was agreed by all the 25 parties represented in the Constituent Assembly to ask for extra time. On behalf of the 25 political parties, leaders of five parties made the formal request to the President on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, at the all-party meeting, discussions favoured the formation of a consensus government. Acting president of the Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala told reporters that it was the wish of all the parties to see a consensus government ahead and for that, extra time was needed.
After Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal tendered his resignation on June 30, the President had asked the parties to form a consensus government by July 7. Mr. Nepal, who headed a CPN (UML)-led coalition government, resigned from his post as per a three-point pact to extend the Constituent Assembly's tenure by a year, complete the peace process, and form a consensus government.
Among others, pressure is on the largest political party, the UCPN (Maoist) on the issue of management of their former combatants, disbanding of the paramilitary structure of Young Communist League, and returning of seized private and public properties.
