I. http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=PM+poll+hits+hattrick+of+flops&NewsID=252066
<http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=PM+poll+hits+hattrick+of+flops&NewsID=252066>PM poll hits hattrick of flops: Stalemate keeps going ARUN RAI & MAHANANDA TIMILSINA *2010-08-02 9:37 PM* * * ** * KATHMANDU: The parliament, for the third time in almost a month, on Monday failed to choose a new Prime Minister, with neither of the candidates—NC’s Ram Chandra Paudel and UCPN-Maoist’s Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ failing to clinch a clear majority. In today’s poll, UCPN-M’s Pushpa Kamal Dahal secured 259 votes, while his rival NC’s Ram Chandra got 124, in the currently 599-member parliament, both of them falling short to meet the magical half way mark. In Dahal’s case, of total 581 attendances, 114 lawmakers voted against and another 208 opted to stay neutral. Likewise, 246 lawmakers disapproved Paudel’s candidacy, while another 186 abstained from voting, with 186 lawmakers abstaining from voting. This time around, Dahal polled 17 more votes, which is attributed to support from fringe parties including Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party. It is also said as many as 12 lawmakers from Upendra Yadav-led MJF cast their votes in Dahal’s favour, defying United Democratic Madhesi Front’s official line that bar lawmakers from the four Madhes parties from taking part in the poll. Widely known as a pro-Maoist outfit, MJF Nepal is a key alley of the Front, other three parties being MJF-Loktantrik, Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Morcha and Mahato-led Nepal Sadbhawana Party. Some of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) lawmakers have a hot exchange prior to attending today's PM runoff voting at parliament in New Baneshwor on Monday August 2, 2010. (Photo:Dhruba Ale) At present, UCPN-Maoist has 237 seats in the capacity 501-member House, followed by NC with 113 and UML 109 as second and third largest parties in parliament. The United Democratic Madhesi Front, the alliance of four major Madhes parties, account for an aggregate 82 seats. UCPN-Maoist this time around had a high expectation of getting backing from the Madhes alliance. The hope however had apparently died away after the Front’s meeting convened early this evening decided to stay neutral. Clinging on to its earlier stance, CPN UML stayed neutral in today’s prime ministerial ballot, which could have otherwise swung the balance to either of the parties’ favour. The party had issued a stern whip to lawmakers, telling them to refrain from today’s voting. Initially a contestant, UML’s Jhalanath Khanal had pulled out minutes before the voting began in the first round as he was unlikely to generate a two-thirds majority, as determined by the party’s CC meet. UML has since then described its refusal to take part in voting as a manifestation of its call for the formation of national consensus government. The party has avowedly said it would no way take part in voting for any majority government. Today’s poll fiasco meant the country has to continue bearing the vacuum of leadership that has resulted from a lack of an effective government in place since caretaker PM Madhav Kumar Nepal stood down on June 30. The House has been adjourned for half an hour after which the meeting of Business Advisory Committee (BAC) under the parliament will resume. The BAC meeting is expected to churn out the future course of action the parliament should embrace when it has repeated failed elect a new Prime Minister. The existing regulations of the House require that voting be carried out ad infinitum unless one of the two contestants seals a clear majority or chooses to back out. II. *** -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.
