Majority shown to CA Chair in support of UML

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KATHMANDU, May 17 - The Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) on Sunday decided to lend its support to the UML-led alliance for the new government formation.
MJF, which was undecided regarding its support to either the UML-led alliance or the Maoists, decided to support the CPN-UML after UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal expressed written commitment to the implementation of the eight-point agreement reached with the then government and the United Democratic Madheshi Front on 2008.

UML Chief Khanal submitted the written commitment to MJF Chairman Upendra Yadav at UML's party headquarter in Balkhu this morning.

After receiving the written commitment from the UML, the MJF has also sent letter to the UML saying that the party would lend its support to the party after holding intra party discussions.

MJF Co-Chairman JP Gupta handed over the letter from his party to the UML leadership.

Gupta said his party had given support to the UML in written form as the UML had also expressed commitment to Madhesh demands in written form.

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KATHMANDU, May 17 - Showing clear majority in the Constituent Assembly (CA), the CPN-UML on Sunday afternoon submitted the signatures of 350 lawmakers to the CA chairman to open up the way to form the new government in its leadership.
Backed by 22 different parties representing in the CA including the second largest Nepali Congress-- if something dramatic does not happen -- Madhav Kumar Nepal, who lost from two constituencies in the CA polls last year, is set to become the new prime minister.

Nepal is on the way to head the new government after the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), whose support was considered key to materialise the government formation process, gave a green signal to the UML’s leadership.

However, MJF Chairman Upendra Yadav today said that the party's Central Committee meeting would decide whether or not to participate in the government.

The formation of new government was protracted owing to indecision on the MJF's part that was demanding commitment in writing from the UML-Nepali Congress alliance to implement the eight-point agreement the government made with the Madhesi front.

Though the other constituents of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) --  comprising MJF, Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP) and Sadbhavana Party (SP) -- had decided to support UML-led coalition in exchange for addressing the Madhesi demands, the largest constituent MJF was not fully assured that their demands including "One Madhesh, One Province" would be fulfilled.

There was rift within the party whether to support the UML or the Maoists in the to-be formed government that even led to a heated debate—if not blow exchange.

The UML and the NC alliance with 108 and 114 seats in the CA respectively, has garnered support from 350 lawmakers of the MJF with 53 seats, the TMLP with 21, SP with 9, the RPP with 4 among other fringe parties.