NC rejects Prachanda’s offer to join Maoist-led coalition
Posted by barunroy on October 22, 2008
FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
Kathmandu, Oct 20 (PTI) Prime Minister Prachanda today invited the main opposition Nepali Congress to join the Maoist-led coalition during a meeting with former premier G P Koirala, who rejected the offer. “I met Koirala and formally conveyed our call for the Nepali Congress party to join the cabinet,” Prachanda told mediapersons after the meeting today.
Although Koirala rejected the offer, Prachanda expressed confidence that the Nepali Congress will finally join the cabinet. Though Koirala did not accept the idea of joining the government, he assured me to extend full cooperation, Prachanda said.
During the meeting, Nepali Congress president Koirala, who has been a bitter critic of the former guerrilla leaders style of functioning, said his party will cooperate with the government from outside and will take active part in drafting the new constitution.
Prachanda also discussed the matter relating to inclusion of Nepali Congress in the government during his talks with CPN-UML general secretary Jhala Nath Khanal.
Prachanda said the government will soon form a Special Committee to integrate the Maoist combatants into Nepal Army and form a high-level steering body headed by CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal to coordinate activities of the government.
The Maoist-led government is likely to expand the cabinet to give it a complete shape within a couple of days.
Koirala has flayed the Prachanda-government for violating the constitutional provisions. The former premier has also slammed the Maoists for trying to politicise the Nepal Army by attempting to include their former guerrillas in the military.
Nepal swore in its first post-royal government on August 22 after the Himalayan country abolished its unpopular 240-year-old monarchy on May 28.
