Kathmandu: Nepali Congress on Friday rejected
the idea of withdrawing its candidate from the prime
ministerial race to make way for alternative names, saying
without reaching an understanding among parties the move will
not help in resolving the current political deadlock.
The NC said that it will not withdraw its candidacy
for the post of Prime Minister, in line with a deal being
worked out by CPN-UML to end the six-week long political
deadlock.
Maoist supremo Prachanda said yesterday he would
withdraw from the prime ministerial race if his NC rival Ram Chandra Poudyal also agrees to quit, but the NC does not seem
impressed.
"There is no ground to believe that the Maoists will
withdraw their candidacy as the party has not yet took
official decision in the matter," NC Vice president and Prime
Ministerial candidate Poudyal told PTI.
The Nepalese lawmakers have been unable to elect a
prime minister with both Prachanda and Poudyal failing to
secure simple majority in four rounds of voting.
"The withdrawal of candidacy without reaching an
understanding among political parties is not going to resolve
the current deadlock," Poudyal added.
He said there is no question of his party withdrawing
from the Prime Ministerial race without arriving at consensus
among political parties.
"We do not believe in rumours as the Maoists have not
yet officially decided about that," Poudyal said.
"Other alternatives should be sought and a basis for
consensus should be worked out before considering about
withdrawal of candidacy," he said.
Prachanda, during an informal meeting with CPN-UML,
offered to withdraw his candidacy from the Prime Ministerial
race on condition that the Nepali Congress follows suit.
Poudyal reiterated that the Maoists should first
implement the three-point pact reached on May 28 which
includes among other things returning the seized property and
dissolving the para-military wing the Young Communist League.
"We are confronted with a kind of crisis as the Prime
Minister resigned without reaching a consensus and now if
Nepali Congress withdraws candidacy at this moment, it will
create another serious consequence," he said.
PTI
