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Kathmandu Monday June 18, 2001 Ashadh 04, 2058.
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UML-RPP forge alliance for NA polls
Post Report
KATHMANDU, June 17 - The main opposition CPN-UML has joined
hands with the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) for the seats in the National Assembly,
the Upper House of Parliament during the upcoming elections.
During the filing of candidacy Sunday, the governing Nepali
Congress (NC) fielded six candidates and one woman candidate for the single reserved seat
for women. NC holding a majority in the Lower House is certain to get all the seven seats.
Maiya Devi Shrestha, who had made headlines donating her
house to NC, is the only woman candidate for the one seat reserved for women.
CPN-UML with 69 members in the Lower House, has fielded three
candidates. Even after getting their people elected they will have 12 surplus votes, which
they have decided to support RPP to get their official candidate Lok Bahadur Thapa
elected. RPP has 12 votes of their own but fall short of seven votes to get Thapa elected,
which will now be propped by CPN-UML.
In return RPP has promised to support CPN-UML in the election
to be held for the five seats in the five development regions.
"We have decided to help RPP in the election here, in
return they will help our candidates in the development regions," said CPN-UML
General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Each of the candidates need the support of at least 19
members from the Lower House to get elected.
CPN-UML which could have easily used its surplus 12 votes to
support Leftist candidates like Santa Bahadur Nepali from the National People’s
Front. Instead the party suprisingly decided to throw its weight behind RPP.
"We had to consider not just the election here but at
the development regional level too where RPP is in better position to help than any other
parties," Nepal said.
"All aspects have to be considered when it comes to an
election. It is all about where we can gain most from," said Khadga Prasad Oli,
CPN-UML’s second most powerful leader.
Besides the official candidate, RPP has one more member
filing as a rebel candidate.
Jog Meher Shrestha, once powerful minister during the
panchayati days, filed his candidacy but the party was quick to declare that he was not
their official choice.
When asked RPP Chairman if the party was going to take action
against Shrestha, he said anyone can contest the elections.
"It is election for all the 10 seats ... but there is
only one official candidate," Thapa said.
Shrestha’s candidacy was proposed and seconded by four
parliament members from RPP. Yet, he has no chance of winning, sources in the party say.
This is Shrestha’s ploy to bargain for better position in the party or at least the
party leadership’s endorsement for the next election and is likely to withdraw soon.
Candidates can withdraw their names till 3 pm Monday.
Industrialist Shanker Lal Kedia is the lone independent
candidate. This is his third attempt to get himself elected into the National Assembly.
"The National Assembly is also for businessmen and
professionals and I have been assured by all the parties that they would support me,"
Kedia said after filing the nominations.
The Elections is scheduled for June 27, when voting will be
conducted at the parliament and the headquarters of five development regions.
Out of the 20 vacant seats, 11 will be elected by the 205
members of the House of Representatives, five will be chosen by the District Development
Committee members from each of the development regions and four will be nominated by the
King.
Every two years, a third of the total 60 members of the
National Assembly, which is also known as the house of the elites, retire to be replaced
by fresh members. The tenure of each of the members is six years. There are 10 members
nominated by the King. NC has Ashok Koirala, Akkal Bahadur Bista, Deepak Bahadur Gurung,
Bal Bahadur Rai, Radheshyam Adhikari and Ramjeevan Singh. And CPN-UML has Mahesh Mani
Acharya, Laxmi Das Manandhar and Mahesh Mani Acharya Dixit as their candidates.
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