Did Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal reach a “gentleman’s agreement” on government change when they signed the nine-point deal on May 5? 

“Yes” is the answer if it is coming from Maoist leaders, and “No” if it’s coming from CPN-UML leaders.

But at a programme on Tuesday, reporters got to hear from the horse’s mouth—both from Oli and Dahal—only to get even more perplexed.

“I do not know about any “gentleman’s agreement” to make [Pushpa Kamal Dahal] the next prime minister,” Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli told reporters at a function organised to mark the 27th establishment day of Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

But Dahal, who was also present in the same function, told journalists that he was ready to take over government reins and that “there is a need to form a national unity government”.

“To implement the constitution, to expedite reconstruction work and to resolve the Madhes crisis, we need to have a national government,” said Dahal, in an oblique reference to the deal on government change.

On May 5, following a flurry of negotiations, PM Oli and Dahal, who was then chairman of the CPN (Maoist), had reached the nine-point deal in a bid to keep the current coalition intact. According to leaders, the two leaders had also reached a “gentleman’s agreement” as per which Oli was to hand over government leadership to Dahal after tabling of the budget  for fiscal year 2016-17. The fiscal budget was tabled in Parliament on Saturday.  

But PM Oli, during Tuesday’s programme, not only denied that a “gentleman’s agreement” was reached but also said that he “would lead” a consensus government if “such situation arises”. 

“There is no alternative to my government,” said PM Oli.

“Which gentleman’s agreement [we are talking about]? Has anyone seen it [mentioned] in the nine-point pact?” he wondered. 

He even asked journalists “to read the constitution carefully”. “There is no constitutional provision of forming a new government [now],” said Oli. 

Of late, the UML leadership has denied that any “gentleman’s agreement” on government change was reached, but the Maoist leadership is increasingly growing suspicious about the UML’s intent. 

The Maoist Centre has also expressed its dissatisfaction at the government for not incorporating some of its “pet projects” in the budget. 

The nine-point deal in early May was rushed through against the backdrop of a likely alliance between Dahal and the Nepali Congress. The Oli government was just on the verge of crisis when the Maoists had declared they would pull out of the current coalition. 

But, according to sources, top UML leadership now is reaching out to the NC, which earlier was accused of trying to engineer UML government’s fall, to “explore ways to keep the government intact”.

Politics does make strange bedfellows. 

What about “gentleman’s agreement”? UML continues to say “No”, Maoists say “Yes”.