Eight-party meet postponed to Sunday morning; NC, UML fail to reach accord

KATHMANDU, March 31 - The eight-party meeting that was being held at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's residence Baluwatar to finalise the ministerial representatives to the interim government ended inconclusively Saturday late afternoon.

Owing to differences, especially between the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, no final verdict could be drawn to start the formation of the interim government which was slated for proclamation today.

According to Maoist leader Dev Gurung, who was also present in the meeting, the meeting has been postponed to 8am Sunday.

Earlier, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala was heard to express his dissatisfaction over CPN-UML's nomination of Sahana Pradhan to lead the party in the interim government. The UML had proposed Pradhan as the leader of its party in the government and had handed her the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pradhan, a senior UML leader, though being one of the finest servants of the party, has remained politically inactive for the last couple of years.

Sources said, a mismatch in the ministerial hierarchy gave rise to the differences between the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML which forced today's meeting to end inconclusively.

Since, it has been agreed that there will not be any post of deputy prime minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seen as the strongest portfolio in the cabinet, next to the post of Prime Minister.

Earlier, it was decided, as per the agreement struck on Friday among the eight parties, that a 26-member interim government under the premiership of Girija Prasad Koirala would be formed today.

As per the agreement, the Nepali Congress will share six seats (including that of the prime minister) in the interim government along with five seats each to the CPN-M and CPN-UML. The NC-D is to be represented in the interim government with three seats whereas one seat each has been allocated to the People's Front Nepal, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi) and United Left Front.