Prime Minister's bifurcation with party leaders and ministers: 'The power equation is not at the bottom'

On Monday morning, after a three-hour long discussion with UML president KP Oli in Baluwatar, Dahal claimed that the government would do nothing in the cabinet meeting. Maoist Deputy General Secretary and Energy Minister Shakti Basnet said that in the Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister mentioned the discussion about changing the equation and said that nothing like that will happen at present.

'The Prime Minister said that the government has nothing to do with the rumors of a change of government', he said, 'He also asked the minister not to follow the rumours.' He claimed that the leaves were shaken by blowing wind.

Dahal informed that in a meeting with some Maoist officials on Monday evening, the Congress had proposed UML President Oli as the Prime Minister, but he did not accept it immediately. Quoting Dahal's statement, the official said, "Congress and the powers that don't like this equation are trying to form another alliance. At present, Oliji has not accepted the proposal of Congress." In the same conversation, he offered Oli the position of Prime Minister by saying "to form a government of national consensus". There was a conversation between the two leaders (Dahal and Oli) about the political wave after this meeting. But Oli has said not to believe the rumors about the return of the government," said the official.

Another Maoist official said that Oli and Dahal had two or three rounds of talks with Deuba due to serious differences on some government issues. How much agreement is there between Oli and Prachanda (Dahal). Based on that, the life of the government will be extended' said the official, how much can the prime minister withstand the pressure of Oli. The future of the government depends on that.'

The gap between Oli and Dahal is widening due to the dispute over the appointment of the Chairman of the Nepal Securities Board, the dispute over the Transitional Justice (TRC) Bill. On the board, Oli wanted to make one of the five selected as the chairman. But after three people were absent, the appointment process was canceled last Friday. The cabinet meeting on Monday decided to start the appointment process again.

Even if there is a single power equation, what will be the definition of the victim-centered provision in the bill, and to what extent will serious human rights violators be punished? The UML and the Maoists have not been able to reach an agreement on issues such as what to do if the victims do not want to reconcile.

On Thursday, UML and Maoist leaders clashed on these issues of the TRC Bill. Sources said that the Congress leader alleged that the bill was stalled in Parliament because there was no agreement between the ruling party UML and the Maoist.

After the cabinet meeting Communications and Information Technology Minister and government spokesperson Rekha Sharma said that there is no problem in the current power alliance. She said that there was a positive discussion between CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and mentioned that the current alliance will last for a long time.

All the rumors that there is a misunderstanding outside are untrue. Not so. The discussion is positive', he said, 'The Prime Minister has said that this alliance will last for a long time. He briefed us that this is not the situation in the media.'