Feeling betrayed by UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal in its bid to topple the government, the main opposition Nepali Congress will continue to oppose the acts of the government in and outside Parliament.

NC leaders, who are dismayed at the Maoist leadership’s change of decision to form a new government with the Congress, said that it was Dahal who had reached out to the largest party seeking its support to topple the KP Sharma Oli-led Cabinet.

“After they expressed their displeasure at the government’s works, the Maoist leadership approached us seeking support to form a new government,” said NC leader Prakash Sharan Mahat. “We then started negotiations with the Maoists.” After several rounds of talks, the two parties are said to have agreed to topple the government. The NC then reportedly decided to extend support for Dahal.

Maoist Chairman Dahal, in his meeting with NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba on Thursday, gave some reasons why he could not lead a new government immediately. While thanking the NC leadership for its commitment, Dahal is learnt to have communicated his inability to lead the next government due to strong opposition from his party. Besides, he would not lead a majority government.

“I could not convince my party colleagues,” NC leader Ramesh Lekhak, who attended the meeting, quoted Dahal as telling Deuba. “I cannot lead a government in this complex situation.”

Dahal is also said to have cited the complications in parliamentary regulations for registering a no-confidence motion against the government. He told the NC leaders that the UML was prepared to foil their bid to register the no-confidence motion by picketing the rostrum.

According to Lekhak, a broad understanding was reached with the Maoists before the third largest party announced on Thursday to form a Dahal-led government. The agendas included implementation of the new constitution, addressing the demands of the Madhes-based parties and expediting reconstruction works.

NC leaders called it an immature behaviour of the ruling Maoists. Mahat said the party would continue to play its role as the opposition to raise people’s concerns in Parliament.