UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal hinted on Sunday that his party was open to formation of a new government, but said that would largely depend on actions and policies of the new leadership of Nepali Congress (NC), the largest party in Parliament.

Dahal also said that informal discussions are underway with the NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba on a unity government and constitution implementation.

Speaking at the party’s Central Committee, Dahal told his partymen that he was waiting and watching the new NC leadership and that the scenario on government formation would only be clear once the main opposstion party makes up its mind. According to a CC member, Dahal said the position of the NC is important than that of the UCPN (Maoist).  

“Dahal was upbeat about changing the government right before the NC Convention,” said a Maoist leader requesting anonymity. But now with Deuba saying he would prefer to stay in opposition, so our chairman has been less vocal about change in government leadership.”

Dahal reiterated his position that there is a need of unity government to meet the challenges faced by the country, including implementation of new constitution. “We need a national unity government until the completion of local, provincial and national level elections as per constitutional provisions,” CC member Hemraj Bhandari quoted Dahal as saying during the meeting.

According to another CC member, though there is growing dissatisfaction inside the Maoist party over the performance of the Oli government. Dahal himself admitted as much, said the CC member.

Bhandari said the party would give time-bound instructions to all party’s ministers in the government to improve their working style.

“Ministers will be recalled if they fail to improve on their performances,” said Bhandari.

Meanwhile, Dahal has proposed holding party’s general convention within a year to elect a new leadership and chart out party’s ideological position.

The party failed to take a clear course at its general convention in May, 2014 due to the dispute between Dahal and then senior leader Baburam Bhattarai.