A day after the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML sealed a deal to form a new political alliance and decided to amend some provisions of the constitution, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who was largely left out of the new power-sharing process, has refused to step down from the post.

The political fraternity has been divided over the new understanding between the Nepali Congress and the UML. But the prime minister’s decision to cling on and seek a vote of confidence is set to delay the process of forming a new government, which will be led by UML chairman KP Sharma Oli as per the understanding.

On Tuesday, a UML secretariat meeting requested all political parties to join the new government of ‘national consensus’ and contribute to political stability.

As per the Congress-UML understanding to form the government under Article 76 (2) of the constitution, the UML meeting also called on the prime minister to pave the way by Wednesday evening.

“The meeting endorsed the agreement reached between the Congress and the UML,” Pradeep Gyawali, deputy general secretary of the UML, said after the meeting.

Contrary to widespread expectations, the UML has decided to delay its earlier plan to immediately recall ministers from the Dahal Cabinet.

“We don’t want more animosity [against the Maoist Centre] and so we did not recall our ministers today,” Gyawali said. “But if the prime minister does not pave the way for new government formation by tomorrow [Wednesday] evening, we will recall our ministers and take other necessary steps.”

“If the prime minister ignores UML’s request [to quit], our party will withdraw its support to the government.”

The party has eight ministers in the Dahal Cabinet.

The UML has also given a reason for its decision to sever ties with Dahal.

“The prime minister was in talks with the Congress for a month in order to form a national consensus government, which created a situation of mistrust,” said Gyawali. “This ultimately forced us to initiate talks with the Nepali Congress.”

After Congress rejected Dahal’s proposal, the UML and Congress started talking seriously to unseat Dahal, according to Gyawali.

“The UML and the Congress started talking and decided to move ahead together for political stability and democratic exercise,” he said.

The UML meeting also endorsed the understanding with the Congress, expressing hope that a new government would ensure political stability, help mend the crisis-ridden economy, and address growing public frustration.

Gyawali said his party had no plans to ditch the current coalition despite some internal issues.

“We were prepared to give continuity to the government. But some interesting developments started unfolding in national politics. The prime minister started discussions about forming a national government without consulting anyone, prompting us to question the objective and necessity of such a government,” said Gyawali.

He also recounted Dahal’s history of kicking out the UML from the government within just 15 days of government formation last year.

“So we became suspicious of the prime minister,” said Gyawali, “But Nepali Congress did not accept the prime minister’s request this time.”

As the picture of the new government remains unclear, there is also confusion over Cabinet formation and discussions about power-sharing between the Nepali Congress, UML and other parties.

“On Cabinet formation, we have reached a broad understanding with the UML, but we are yet to finalise the names of ministers,” a Congress office bearer told the Post.

Besides the UML, the Congress has also separately asked the prime minister to step down.

On Monday midnight, Nepali Congress chief Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML chair Oli also agreed to form a high-powered constitution review committee to suggest amendments to the constitution, bypassing key ruling partners like the CPN (Maoist Centre) and the Rastriya Swatantra Party.

Besides the Nepali Congress and the UML, other parties like the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, Janata Samajbadi Party (Upendra Yadav faction) have welcomed the new deal.

Deuba, according to one Congress leader, also met CPN (Unified Socialist) chair Madhav Kumar Nepal on Tuesday evening and asked him to join the new political process.

Nepal responded that he would discuss the matter in the party.

The CPN (Maoist Centre) and the Rastriya Swatantra Party have opposed the deal. The RSP, a key party in the government, said that it would remain in the government so long as the prime minister stays in office.

After the deal with the Congress, Oli met Prime Minister Dahal on Tuesday morning and asked him to step down, but Dahal refused to do so, according to Maoist Centre leaders.

Dahal, after meeting Oli, convened a meeting of the party’s secretariat, where he discussed the latest political situation and updated party leaders on his interactions with Oli and Deuba in the past few days.

Devendra Poudel, the Maoist Centre party secretary, said it has been decided that the prime minister will not resign and he will instead seek a vote of confidence in the House.

In the meeting, Dahal was reportedly angry with Oli, whom Dahal accused of betraying him.

“Deuba showed political culture, but not Oli,” Dahal said in the meeting. “I didn’t expect such a move from Oli with whom I had very cordial talks even until Monday afternoon.”

“We are not escaping, and we are not afraid,” said Devendra Poudel. “We have decided to deal with the situation politically.”

Dahal went to meet President Ram Chandra Poudel on Tuesday and informed the President that he would follow the constitutional course.

Dahal advised the President to call for government formation based on Article 76 (3) of the constitution, according to which the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives—Deuba in this case—will be called to form a new government.

The Maoist Centre has also objected to the understanding between the Congress and the UML on amending the constitution, terming it a ‘regressive’ step.

Dahal told the President that he would follow the constitution, which means he will face a no-confidence motion in the House. As per Article 100 of the constitution, the prime minister will have 30 days to seek a vote of confidence.

When the decision to withdraw support reaches Parliament, the date for seeking a vote of confidence will be fixed as per parliamentary regulations.

“Seeking a vote of confidence is the prerogative of the prime minister and so he is not bound to resign,” said Bipin Adhikari, an expert on constitutional matters. “Tendering resignation is his choice but seeking a vote of confidence within 30 days of a party withdrawing support is his constitutional right.”

A senior UML leader told the Post that Oli wants to be the prime minister under Article 76 (2).

If no political party commands a majority in the House, the President can call for government formation under Article 76 (2).

“In cases where no party has a clear majority in the House of Representatives under clause (1), the President shall appoint as the Prime Minister a member of the House of Representatives who can command a majority with the support of two or more parties representing the House of Representatives,” says the Article.

The spirit of this Article is to provide a strong and stable government, said Adhikari, and so the President can call for government formation under this Article.

“We are consulting on what to do and exploring legal options in case the prime minister declines to step down or delays the vote of confidence,” a Congress office bearer told the Post.

As per the understanding, Oli will lead a new ‘national consensus’ government for a year and a half. For the remaining term of Parliament, Deuba will be the prime minister. Both parties have also tentatively reached a power-sharing deal, including on division of ministerial portfolios, amendments to the constitution, review of the electoral system, including proportional representation, change of national assembly arrangements, and the size of provincial assemblies, according to the understanding reached between the two sides.

As per the draft understanding, the Congress will lead 10 ministries, including home, and the UML nine, including finance. Likewise, the Congress and the UML will lead three provincial governments each, with the government in Madhesh to be led by a regional party.