Kathmandu: Nepal's former Prime Minister
G P Koirala on Sunday ruled out any change in the Madhav Kumar
Nepal-led government as the Maoists kickstarted a fresh
agitation to dislodge the 22-party coalition.
Nepali Congress president Koirala, who met Prime
Minister Nepal at his residence soon after returning from
Singapore, dismissed speculations that his meeting with Maoist
chief Prachanda was aimed at bringing about a change in the
leadership of the government.
Raghu Pant, the Prime Minister’s political advisor,
said that Koirala today underlined his party's support for
continuity of the coalition.
"This government must continue until a new
constitution is framed," Pant quoted Koirala as saying.
According to Pant, they discussed the passage of the
budget in parliament and formation of the high-level mechanism
to end the current political deadlock with the Maoists.
During his treatment in Singapore, Koirala had met
Prachanda in an effort to end the deepening political crisis
in the country.
The ailing former Prime Minister returned from
Singapore after a week-long treatment with improved health
condition.
Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala, the daughter of
the Nepali Congress supremo, said her father was in "good
health condition".
"He is in good health condition," the Foreign Minister
told mediapersons upon his arrival at the Tribhuvan
International Airport (TIA). "He may have to go for follow-up
check-ups after a month," she added.
The Maoists today began the third phase of their
agitation, leading to a three-day general strike from December
20, in a bid to dislodge the government even as it ended its
blockade of the parliament to allow the passage of the crucial
budget.
The former rebels, after a key meeting of the Unified
CPN (Maoist), decided to allow the parliament to function for
three days so as to facilitate the passage of the 2009/10
budget.
The Maoists' move to end the Parliament deadlock has
given a much needed relief to the government which is facing
financial crunch amid fears that it would be unable to pay
salaries to the civil servants, police and army.
The Maoists announced yesterday a month-long agitation
programme, including a three-day general strike from December
20 to 22, under their third phase of agitation to dislodge the
coalition in a dispute over "civilian supremacy".
The political parties are deadlocked over the Maoists'
demand to discuss the President's "unconstitutional move" in
Parliament.
The standoff has put new stresses on Nepal's
reconciliation efforts amid fears that the stalled peace
process may be derailed if the Maoists-led agitation is not
ended soon.
PTI