Senior CPN-UML leaders have intensified consultations with other parties a bid to secure majority votes in Parliament in case Nepali Congress does not let the party lead a government involving all major parties.

The second largest party consulted with the opposition UCPN (Maoist) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal to this effect and requested Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to assist in forming a government under the UML. The UML has submitted a letter to Koirala to remind him about the

informal agreement with the UML that elevated him to the prime minister’s seat in February last year as well as the understanding that was reached in the presence of the UCPN (Maoist) and the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik leaders while signing the 16-point agreement in June.

Both the agreements were for the NC to support the UML while forming a new government after the promulgation of new constitution.

“It was a gentle reminder about gentlemen’s agreement reached among the parties in the past. We asked the prime minister to support our party to lead a national unity government.

He was also urged to vote our party candidate in the prime ministerial election even in case a consensus government could not be formed,” said UML Secretary Pradeep Gyawali.

NC, of late, seems to have changed its position on forming the next government headed by UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli. Some NC leaders are reportedly opposed to the “gentlemen’s agreement”, even claiming that they are unware of such deal ever being made.

In their meeting with Prime Minister Koirala, UML leaders stressed the need of forming a consensus government under UML based on past accords for the sake of effective implementation of constitution, promotion of  national independence

and sovereignity and running post-earthquake reconstruction projects.

Koirala, in response, told the UML leaders that the ongoing Central Working Commitee meeting of his party would take decision on the issue.

The UML leaders led by Oli also called on RPP-N leaders to discuss the formation of new government under Oli’s premiership.

RPP-N Chairman Kamal Thapa assured to take UML’s request under consideration and make its official position clear through its Central Committee meeting on Friday.

“We actually want to play a constructive role by choosing opposition bench in Parliament, but we could rethink over the issue after seeing how the ongoing political situation pans out in the coming days,” Thapa told the UML leaders.

UML leaders said the Maoist party was also positive about supporting the UML in government formation.