by Kalpit Parajuli

Parliament fails to elect a new prime minister for the eighth time. Nepali Congress party leader was the only candidate on the ballot. Hindu extremists call for the restoration of the monarchy.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) – Since the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on 29 June, Nepal is without a head of government. Last Sunday, parliament failed to pick a new prime minister, unleashing protests by Hindu fundamentalists who want to see the restoration of the monarchy.

Only one candidate took part in the eighth round of voting, Ram Chandra Poudel, leader of the conservative Nepali Congress party. Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal (aka Prachanda) had pulled out of the race on 17 September.

Poudel is expected to run in the next round, scheduled for this Thursday, but he is not likely to get the required 301 votes for the job.

The decision of the Nepali Congress to go ahead with its candidate has outraged Maoists and the Communists. Convinced that Poudel is bound to fail again, they want him to withdraw and for all parties to work together in favour of a unity government based on a national consensus.

 “We have more serious things to do,” including “completing the peace process and drafting the new constitution,” said Maoist spokesperson Dinanath Sharma. “Our party withdrew its candidate in favour of a government based on a national consensus.”

Ishwor Pokharel, a spokesperson for the Nepal Communist Party-UML, agrees. “We hope that the Nepali Congress will also withdraw its candidate for the sake of a consensus government." For him, Poudel’s position is an “insult to the constituent assembly and to the democratic system."

In the meantime, as Nepal’s main parties fail to agree on a new premier, Hindu fundamentalists increase their protests in order to restore the monarchy.

During the last failed vote, some 50 Hindu demonstrators protested in front of the parliament building, shouting slogans like “The Hindu identity should be maintained”, “The country should not be insulted in the name of secularism”, and “We do not want a failed constituent assembly and corrupt politicians”.

The local media have noted Hindu fundamentalists are becoming more active, especially in regions bordering with India. More protests are expected ahead of next Thursday’s vote.

• nepal
• political
• crisis
• parliament
• vote
• prime
• minister
• maoists
• communists
• nepali
• congress