CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that an understanding was reached with CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli while forging an electoral alliance that they would lead the government on rotation basis, provided that the left alliance emerges victorious.

According to the agreement, Oli would become the prime minister in the first phase, while Dahal would replace him in the second phase of the left alliance government’s five-year tenure.

Speaking with journalists in Bharatpur Airport on Friday, leader Dahal said: “There has been understanding between me and Oli that we will be the country’s prime minister on rotation and no major obstacles have surfaced in our agreement so far.” Dahal was responding to media queries on headship of the government on rotation basis.

“A meeting of party unification coordination committee will finalise this issue. We had agreed in principle to head the government on rotation basis.”

The parties with communist ideologues had jointly contested the recently held Federal Parliament and Provincial Assembly elections by forming a left alliance which turned favorable as the party obtained nearly two-thirds majority in the Federal Parliament.

The parties had also repeatedly announced that they would unify the parties soon after the formation of the new government. Maoist Centre leaders have been pressing the leadership of both the parties to finalise the modality for the party unification before starting the government formation process.

Maoist Centre leaders have said that while one chairman is leading the government, other would head the party. 

As per the gentlemen’s agreement reached between the two parties while forging the electoral alliance, the understanding was that if the UML leader becomes the prime minister, the Maoist Centre chairman should be appointed the party chief, and vice versa.