Top leaders of the big political parties in the interim parliament have intensified discussion Friday on formation of interim government including the Maoists as the UN has said the first phase of arms verification has been completed.

Prachanda and his senior comrade Dr Baburam Bhattarai held discussion with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at Baluwatar in the afternoon regarding the formation of the interim government.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala (File Photo)
During the meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Koirala urged the Maoists leaders to control the unruly activities of their party cadres. Likewise, distribution of ministerial portfolios was also the major issue of their discussion. Prachanda also proposed to announce republic through the interim parliament while PM Koirala asked them to have patience while taking such important decision.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, tourism minister Pradeep Gyawali quoted Koirala as saying that the Maoists must reform their behaviours before joining the government. Prachanda is learnt to have expressed commitment to control such activities.

The meeting was previously scheduled to take place on Thursday but was later postponed at PM’s request.

Earlier, in the morning, Prachanda and UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal held discussion at Nepal’s residence at Koteshwore. During the meeting, where another Maoist leader Dr. Bhattarai was also present, Nepal asked Maoist leaders to stop the disturbing activities of their cadres. His remarks have come in the wake of Maoist cadres coming out in the public brandishing their weapons.

Prachanda on the occasion expressed commitments to control such activities. He also said the state can punish his party cadres if their acts were illegal.

CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal talking to journalists after a meeting with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar Friday afternoon, Mar 02 07. nepalnews.com/rh

CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal talking to journalists after a meeting…
Similarly, UML general secretary Nepal held discussions with PM Koirala after Maoist leaders came out. The two leaders also discussed the formation of interim government, division of ministerial portfolios and increasing unruly activities of the Maoists in the recent days.

The ruling seven party alliance and the Maoists had agreed to form interim government after the completion of the arms registration by the UN team. Maoists have been saying that they will not join the interim government if they do not get respectable position.