The ruling parties are struggling to strike a power-sharing deal for the distribution of ministerial portfolios, a day after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal decided to ditch his year-long partnership with the Nepali Congress.

With Dahal deciding to join hands with the CPN-UML and the Rastriya Swatantra Party, the Nepali Congress on Tuesday decided to withdraw its support to the Dahal-led government. But the new ruling partners are finding it hard to arrive at a new power-sharing deal, just a day after they announced an eight-point agreement outlining the foundation and core objectives guiding the formation of the new government.

A meeting of the work execution committee of the Nepali Congress concluded that the CPN (Maoist Centre) and its chairman Dahal are most unreliable and politically untrustworthy and said it will not work with the Maoists in the future under normal circumstances.

The party has taken Dahal’s decision to break the alliance on a serious note and decided to stay in opposition, said a statement issued after the meeting. The Maoists betrayed us twice and betrayed the people on what it had promised to the voters during the time of elections, said the Nepali Congress. The party says the decision has “fueled the political instability in the country.”

After the breakdown of the old alliance, a new coalition was quickly built and a four-member task-force representing four parties was set up in order to settle the division of ministerial portfolios, but it could not take a decision on Tuesday.

“First, it will be decided which other political parties will join,” said Rajendra Shrestha, a member of the task force from the Janata Samajbadi Party. “When we settle the number of the parties joining the government, we will proceed with the allocation of ministerial portfolios.”

After the Congress withdrew support to the government, Prime Minister Dahal is now required by the constitution to seek a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives.

“The ruling coalition is looking for an absolute majority so that the prime minister can swiftly win a trust vote. For instance, if the Rastriya Swatantra Party does not extend its support to the government due to differences over power-sharing, the prime minister may not get the majority,” a CPN (Maoist Centre) standing committee member said. “Given this precarious political situation, both Dahal and [UML chair] Oli have been working hard since Tuesday to secure the majority.”

RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane is eying the posts of deputy prime minister and home minister. But the UML also wants the home ministry.

After a disagreement between the UML and the RSP over the home ministry, Prime Minister Dahal on Tuesday suggested that the party leading the government should keep two key portfolios—home and finance.

Meanwhile, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, who served as home minister and deputy prime minister until Monday, is asserting his claim to the home portfolio and has met Oli, seeking his support.

“But Oli did not give Shrestha a clear response,” said a leader close to the Maoist Centre.

Similarly, Barshaman Pun, the deputy general secretary of the Maoist Centre, is eying the finance portfolio. But UML Vice-chair Bishnu Poudel is also asserting his claim to the same.

Prime Minister Dahal, meanwhile, has started talks with two more parties to bring them on board, in an attempt to bolster his position, according to Shrestha.

On Monday, Dahal held talks with CPN (Unified Socialist) chief Madhav Kumar Nepal and requested him to join the government.

After the prime minister did not get a positive response from Nepal, UML Chairman KP Oli also visited Nepal at his residence on Tuesday, breaking a prolonged communication gap between the two.

After the UML’s split in 2021, Nepal had launched his own party, further widening the gap between them. On Tuesday, Oli phoned Nepal and later in the evening, both Dahal and Oli visited Nepal at his Koteshwar residence. Nepal is reportedly resting after developing mild health issues.

“Oli used non-political language and disparaging words against our chairman in the past, and this has soured their relations,” a Unified Socialist leader said. “Also, we are unhappy over the way the prime minister disbanded the old alliance without informing our party and party chairman.”

Nevertheless, in a bid to mend fences with Nepal, Oli and Dahal have offered him to join the government.

“After our party chief voiced concerns about the prime minister’s unilateral move, both Dahal and Oli came to Nepal’s residence and explained the rationale behind the new political equation,” the Unified Socialist leader said.

Talking to reporters after his meeting with Nepal, Oli said, “We inquired about his health and discussed the latest developments. He is positive [about the new alliance].”

UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, who accompanied Oli to Koteshwar, added, “Nepal ji told us that he will convene the party secretariat meeting on Wednesday to arrive at a final decision.”

Oli and Dahal had also brought up the roadmap of a “left alliance” by bringing together like-minded leftist forces.

Dahal also held talks with Mahantha Thakur, chairman of the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, and urged him to support and join the government. But Thakur reportedly did not commit to anything.

The ruling side is reaching out to fringe parties like the Janamat Party and the Nagarik Unmukti Party in order to bolster its majority.