Top leaders have begun talks for an alliance between the Congress, UML, and NCP in the upcoming National Assembly elections.

Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, UML President KP Sharma Oli and NCP Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal have started efforts to form an alliance in separate meetings.

Meeting for the first time on Sunday after the Gen-G movement, Oli and Dahal have had a 'one-on-one' (alone) dialogue. Before flying to Delhi for the 'Nepali Samaj Bharat' program, Dahal discussed cooperation in the National Assembly elections and the issue of national independence with Oli. Dahal's Chief Personal Secretary Govinda Acharya said that the two leaders discussed the House of Representatives and National Assembly elections. 'The two top leaders discussed contemporary political issues, especially cooperation in the context of national independence and National Assembly elections,' he said, 'There is a matter of discussing it again.' Earlier, Oli had met Deuba on 19 Mangsir and 7 Poush and discussed cooperation. UML Chairman Oli, who became Prime Minister in an alliance with the Congress on 17 Ashad 2081, has proposed to Deuba to cooperate in the elections, saying that the UML has not backed down from the then seven-point agreement. Congress leaders say that the UML has proposed to form an alliance for the National Assembly elections to be held on 11 Magh and the House of Representatives elections to be held on 11 Falgun.

Similarly, NCP leaders have been holding separate discussions with the Congress and UML about possible cooperation. NCP leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that discussions are underway with the UML and the Congress about nationality and possible cooperation. ‘No such concrete decision has been made,’ he said, ‘We have talked about the overall situation of the country. Now nationality is in danger. Therefore, the issue of how to cooperate is also important.’ He said that Coordinator Dahal will meet Congress President Deuba and Prime Minister Sushila Karki to create an environment for the House of Representatives elections on 11 Falgun.

Dahal has proposed that in addition to the three major parties, the LSP and JSP Nepal, which are represented in the National Assembly, should also be included. A Congress leader said that Oli did not respond to that. ‘Dahal has gone to India to tell Deuba and Oli this.’ Now, after the talks between Deuba and Oli, it is time to finalize the division,’ said a Congress leader.

Congress, UML and Maoists have collaborated in the provincial government. A few days ago, the Maoists and Congress collaborated in the formation of the Madhesh government. Apart from the Madhesh government, Congress and UML are collaborating in other provinces. Congress’s National Assembly Parliamentary Party leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula said that discussions are underway on three options for forming an alliance in the National Assembly. He said that discussions are underway on the issue of moving forward by collaborating between Congress and UML, Congress and CPN, Congress, UML and Madhesh parties.

Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka briefed on the ongoing discussions on the alliance at the party president Deuba's residence on Sunday. Khadka and central member Ramesh Lekhak are holding discussions with various parties. 'As per the briefing by the acting president, discussions have been held with all parties. However, no conclusion has been reached,' said Sitaula. The Congress is scheduled to hold a central work performance meeting on Monday to discuss the selection of candidates for the National Assembly.

Elections are being held on 11 Magh for the 18 members who are about to fall vacant in the National Assembly. The term of office of 4 members from Madhesh Province, 3/3 from Koshi and Lumbini Provinces, and 2/2 from Bagmati, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim in the National Assembly is set to end on 20 Falgun.

Oli and Dahal's meeting point 'Sharda's house'

The Sunday conversation between UML Chairman Oli and NCP Coordinator Dahal took place at the house of construction entrepreneur Sharda Adhikari in Lalitpur Manbhavan. This is the same house from which Oli and Dahal started their collaboration in the 2074 elections. Through a series of talks at Adhikari's house, the UML and the Maoists reached an agreement to collaborate in the 2074 elections. Adhikari, the operator of Shailung Construction, is a contractor who has been in dispute for not completing the contract he took on on time.

The agreement between the UML and the then Maoists to unify the party in Jestha 2075 was reached at Adhikari's house. Dahal would be the executive chairman, Oli the prime minister, both would be prime ministers half-time for a five-year term, and the party would be named 'Nepal Communist Party' after the unification. The agreement was reached before the 2074 elections. In that election, the UML-Maoist alliance won 174 seats directly and proportionally.

After Oli became Prime Minister, a power struggle began between the two leaders. The Supreme Court separated the UML and the Maoists after hearing a petition related to the NCP. After the 2079 election, Oli and Dahal collaborated again. Dahal became Prime Minister with the support of the UML at that time. This power alliance formed in Poush 2079 collapsed two months later in Falgun.

After a disagreement over who would be the president, Dahal collaborated with Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba. After the power collaboration between the Congress and the UML began in Asad 2080, the Dahal government collapsed. After that, the bitterness between Oli and Dahal increased. The relationship between these two leaders could not improve after the Gen-G movement.