National
Maoists claim 2 chief mins, four speakers
As the left alliance intensifies negotiations on power sharing in provincial assemblies and governments, the CPN (Maoist Centre) has claimed two chief ministers and four speakers.Tika R Pradhan
As the left alliance intensifies negotiations on power sharing in provincial assemblies and governments, the CPN (Maoist Centre) has claimed two chief ministers and four speakers.
The two-party alliance will have a majority in six of the seven provinces. “If the UML gets the chief minister, the Maoist Centre will have the speaker and vice-versa,” a member of the task force said after the meeting.
The Maoist Centre also laid its claim to four deputy speakers during preliminary discussions held at Singha Durbar on Sunday in the second full meeting of the task force.
Cabinet members in provincial governments except in Province 2 would be shared on a 60:40 ratio, the member claimed.
However, UML leader and task force member Surendra Pande said Sunday’s meeting did not dwell on provincial governments as they were engaged in choosing common candidates for the National Assembly elections.
Sources said the Maoist proposal would be discussed in the presence of top leaders KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal after a few days.
Pande said the task force was for making votes garnered by the respective parties at the local level and provincial polls the main basis for deciding candidates for the Assembly election.
“In the next meeting, the two parties will come up with their respective candidates for the clusters of their choice,” said Pande.
Task force coordinator Subas Nembang said the proposals would be finalised at their next meeting to be held on Wednesday after UML Chair Oli returns from Bangkok on Tuesday.
The left alliance believes that the two parties could win up to 40 seats jointly out of the 56 members elected to the Upper House.
In provinces 2 and 3, the bloc has decided to hold discussion with other parties for forming alliances for the February 7 vote.