No serious talk with UML on new govt: NC

A senior Nepali Congress leader said on Wednesday that no serious negotiation has been taking place with the CPN-UML about toppling the current coalition government and forming a new one.

The comment from NC leader Ramesh Lekhak comes amid reports that senior leader Shekhar Koirala is in constant talks with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli to topple the current government and form a new government under leadership of the two parties. 

He said: We are in no hurry to break this (five-party) ruling alliance. NC is the largest party at the Center as well as in the provinces, so talks with other parties are natural. He, however, said talks have been taking place within the NC about forming a new government with UML. Ruling coalitions with small parties have resulted in frequent changes in government, so a section within the party thinks it is better for the NC and the UML to cobble together a new government, he said.

There is a similar opinion within the UML also, but no concrete discussions have taken place between the NC and the UML on this matter, Lekhak added. 

Of late, NC leaders have gone on record saying that they will bring down the current ruling coalition. Before forming the current coalition on March 4, UML had offered premiership to NC. These days, however, UML Chair KP Sharma Oli is ruling out the possibility of NC and UML coming together to form a new government. UML and CPN (Maoist Center) have some outstanding power-sharing issues, but Oli is reportedly in favor of giving continuity to the current ruling coalition for now.