Kathmandu, Nepal –
Members of Nepal’s largest political party are running for president in next month’s presidential elections in a decision supported by the prime minister, threatening to overthrow a fragile coalition.
Ram Chandra Pudel of the opposition Nepal Parliament Party is backed by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, but he is not a coalition partner.
The move angered the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), the largest party in the ruling coalition, and retaliated by nominating members of its party to run in the presidential elections scheduled for March 9. bottom.
Dahal was in danger of losing another coalition partner after the National Democrats announced on Saturday that they were withdrawing from the government, citing Dahal’s support for Pudel.
Both parties have yet to formally announce their withdrawal of support for Dahal in parliament. If so, Dahal must seek a vote of confidence in the lower house of parliament, the House of Commons.
Pudel told reporters that he would win the support of all political parties and strive for political unity.
Parliamentary elections were held in November, but no party won a majority and a coalition government led by Dahal was formed.
The Maoist group has come to power for the third time since abandoning a decade-long armed insurgency that killed more than 17,000 people in 2006 and joining the UN-backed peace process and mainstream politics.
Maoists secured most of the seats in parliament in the 2008 elections, and Prachanda, also known as “The Fierce One,” Dahal became prime minister, only to lose power a year later, citing disagreements with the president. I resigned.
