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Maoists will not join government

KATHMANDU: After the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)-nominated presidential candidate Ramraja Prasad Singh lost in the elections, the Maoists have announced they would not join the new government.

Maoists’ chairman Prachanda said on Tuesday: “The result of the election has brought us to a position where we should stay in the opposition.” On Dr. Ram Baran Yadav’s victory in the presidential polls, Mr. Prachanda said: “We don’t feel defeated as a Madhesi leader has become Nepal’s first President. Even though Dr. Ram Baran Yadav was not our nominee, our party feels proud about his win.”

However, Mr. Prachanda was unhappy with the new alliance between the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (UML) and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF). Dubbing the alliance as “unnatural, remorseful, and apolitical,” he said: “It is against the people’s mandate and it could affect the peace process.” However, he said his party may join the government if the NC-UML-MJF alliance is broken.

The NC, UML and MJF formed an alliance during the presidential elections, and will support the UML candidate for the Constituent Assembly (CA) chairman’s election, which will be held on Thursday.

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