The talks team for the first two days didn´t even begin a dialogue with other parties and when it did meet today with leaders of the Nepali Congress, who have remained adamant against joining the government, the NC once again told the UML team that they were not at all interested in joining the Khanal government but were ready to work for peace and the constitution while remaining in opposition. [break]
The first natural choice for talks should have been the UCPN-Maoist and then the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF). UCPN-M has already joined the governent but is at loggerheads with the prime minister over distribution of portfolios, particularly the home ministry. MPRF is waiting to join the government but is bargaining for more cabinet seats and for plum ministries. But the Nepal-led team-- KP Sharma Oli, Bamdev Gautam, Ashok Rai and Ishwar Pokharel are the other members -- is yet to establish contact with either of the two parties. UCPN (Maoist) Secretary CP Gajurel confirmed that the team has not yet approached his party for talks.
The talks team was formed against the wishes of Prime Minister Khanal in the first place. He had convened the party´s standing committe meeting last Thursday to persuade party leaders to allow the UCPN-Maoist to head the home ministry but the leaders instead formed the talks team for dialogue with other parties.
This has already dampened the prime minister´s hopes of giving his cabinet full shape and improving his relations with the Maoists, who have accused him of not fulfilling his promise.
Party leaders close to the prime minister doubt that the Nepal-led team will hold talks with other parties in all sincerity. "Some key leaders in the talks team are against the present coalition and they have not cooperated with the prime minister wholeheartedly; therefore, we are not optimistic about reasults from talks," said one leader close to Khanal.
The embattled prime minister has not been able to give full shape to his cabinet even a month and half after being elected to the post. The home portfolio has remained the big bone of contention between ruling coalition partners UML and Maoists.
The Nepal-Oli faction within the UML is strongly against allowing the Maoists to head security-related ministries.
However, the prime minister´s press advisor, Surya Thapa, claimed that the idea to forming the talks team and holding dialogue with the Nepali Congress (NC) is as per Khanal´s own policy.
But Thapa said the prime minister might move ahead on his own if the talks yield no result within a couple of days. "The prime minister can´t wait indefinitely if dialogue yields no result because time is running out for the government," he said.
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