Prachanda defers resignation as PM, adds to political uncertainty
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Tuesday deferred his planned resignation from the top post, adding to political uncertainties in Kathmandu.
Earlier in the day, Prachanda informed his cabinet colleagues that he will put in his papers to pave way for Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to become the next Prime Minister.
On the other hand, Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist-Leninist leader K.P. Oli said in Parliament that the Prime Minister cannot resign in the middle of local elections and should continue until the second phase of elections on June 14 is completed.
A meeting of Prachanda, Oli and Deuba, called by Speaker On sari Gharti to sort out the stand-off, could not make headway as Oli remained adamant on his stand.
Parliament is slated to meet at 11 a.m. on Wednesday and Prachanda has called for a meeting of top political leadership ahead of the house meeting.
The proposed resignation of Prachanda was to honour an accord signed in August last year when Prachanda was elected the Prime Minister with Deuba's support.
Both Prachanda and Deuba had agreed to run the government on a rotational basis until elections to Parliament were held in February 2018, as per constitutional obligations.
According to the agreement, Prachanda was to remain in office till the local elections were held whereas polls at the provincial and central levels were to be conducted under Deuba as the Prime Minister.–IANS