Stating that the parliament´s failure to elect a new prime minister even after third round of voting in the House further deepened the political crisis, Khanal has urged other political parties to be serious toward possible consequences. [break]
"The repetition of election without any result has given a wrong message to the people and that may create a negative psychology toward the entire democratic system, political leadership and all the political parties,” Khanal said in the statement. “The UML wants to draw the attention of other parties toward the situation."
He argued that the intention of the UML decision to stay neutral in the voting was not to take the country hostage but was a sincere initiative to form a consensus government.
"The UML decided to seek an alternative to the majority government headed by senior UML Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and to withdraw the party chairman Jhalanath Khanal´s candidacy from the prime ministerial race for the same purpose," he said.
The UML stayed neutral in three rounds of the election for the prime minister.
Khanal whose candidacy was withdrawn by PM Nepal as per the party’s Central Committee decision has been insisting on staying neutral in the election process if it resulted in a government of simple majority.
Though he has been advocating a government that commands a two-thirds majority in the parliament, the UML chief had himself lobbied secretly to become prime minister even if he just had a simple majority. He also had requested PM Nepal not to withdraw his candidacy.
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