The ruling CPN-UML, which was staring at crisis on Wednesday after its key coalition partner, the UCPN (Maoist), caught it unawares by hinting at withdrawing support, on Thursday managed to keep the Maoists adhered to the coalition.

As per a new understanding reached between the two parties, the UCPN (Maoist) will lead the next government with the UML’s backing.

Late on Thursday, the two parties reached a nine-point agreement to keep the “left coalition” intact.  

As per the deal, the UCPN (Maoist) would help the government bring the fiscal budget whereas the ruling UML has agreed to incorporate Maoist agendas into the budget.

After a late night meeting on Wednesday between Maoist leaders and PM Oli in Baluwatar, some UML leaders, including Bamdev Gautam, on Thursday morning met Dahal at the latter’s residence in Lazimpat to convince him about the new deal.

Hours later, Dahal informed Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba that he was in no position to accept NC’s earlier offer to form a new government under UCPN (Maoist) leadership.

Sources at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has offered UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to take over the government leadership after the incumbent government presents the fiscal budget in Parliament.

Oli is also learnt to have told Dahal that he would take concrete steps to address the concerns raised by the UCPN (Maoist).

Maoist leaders of late have criticised the Oli government for failing to intervene to make sure that all war-cases are dealt with by transitional justice mechanisms and not by regular courts.

UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai told the Post that his party was ready to help Maoist Chairman Dahal to lead a majority government if the latter wished so. “But he has been saying that he will lead a national unity government, not a majority one. We have asked him to clarify what he wants,” said Bhattarai.  

PM Oli’s Chief Political Adviser Bishnu Rimal said that some misunderstandings that had surfaced were cleared during the meeting. “PM Oli himself has long been stressing on the need of a national unity government,” said Rimal.

“The PM told Dahal that he was ready to resign for the sake of national consensus government. And he has been saying this all along—to all the parties including the Congress.”

During his address to Parliament on Thursday, PM Oli did not make any direct comment on the recent turn of events—neither on disagreements with UCPN (Maoist) nor on the deal that was being worked out.

“I am ready to resign if this sovereign Parliament wishes so. My loyalty lies with this Parliament,” said Oli who spent most of the time to talk about consensus government and ways to address the woes facing the country and people. “National consensus cannot be achieved through conspiracy and deceit,” PM Oli said.

A day after deciding to form a consensus government under its leadership, the UCPN (Maoist) on Thursday backtracked from its position, saying that the initiative taken by the party was “twisted and overblown”.

“That the UCPN (Maoist) is withdrawing support to this government is all but rumour,” UCPN (Maoist) leader Janardan Sharma told Parliament on Thursday.

The Maoist decision had come after NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s offer to UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Dahal that his party would lend support in new government formation.