Nepal starts power sharing talks amid constitution deadlock

KATHMANDU - Nepal's major political parties have begun negotiations regarding the formation of a national unity government to facilitate the ongoing stalled constitution drafting process, party leaders said on Tuesday.

Party leaders say talks are currently focused on power sharing with a view that without an amicable power sharing, it would be difficult to promulgate a new constitution.

The issue of power sharing has come into a surface when parties were discussing about the process and content of constitution drafting process.

Ruling party CPN-UML has officially proposed the formation of the unity government with parties that are outside the government.

Currently, the government is headed by the largest party Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, who is strongly backed by the second largest CPN-UML and some other fringe parties.

The main opposition UCPN (Maoist) and Madhesh-based parties are outside the government.

The constitution drafting process is stalled, as many leaders say all major parties want to remain in power during the constitution promulgation period to take the credit.

UCPN (Maoist) and Madhesh-based parties are publicly saying that they will not join the government while some of the leaders of those parties are instead keen to join the government.

It is, however, not clear yet whether the current government would be transformed into national unity government or leadership of the government will change.

Even Koirala is positive on the formation of unity government to ensure a new constitution.

"We have proposed formation of national unity government and other parties are positive on it despite their public statements," said CPN-UML leader Jhala Nath Khanal after the talks with Madhesh- based parties.

In the last six years period, five governments have been formed in Nepal but none of them were capable of delivering a new constitution.

Nepali Congress leaders say the new national unity government could be formed but it should not affect the January 22 deadline of the constitution promulgation.

Nepal is currently in the critical juncture as the constitution promulgation deadline is approaching but there is not progress in the statute drafting process.