CPN seems eager to get into the government in the only province which it currently does not rule by toppling the Lal Babu Raut government in Province 2.
CPN has started informal discussion with Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJP), coalition partner in the current Socialist Party-led government, to that regard after alliance for recently held National Assembly election.
Parliamentary party leader of CPN and the party incharge in the province Satya Narayn Mandal stated that the current government needs to be changed as the people have not got to experience development and good governance even in two years under the Raut government.
"The alliance for National Assembly was successful. We also have to give a message to the Province 2 people to move this alliance forward from that success," Mandal, who is also a CPN standing committee member, told Setopati. "The people from there fought to bring federalism. But the provincial government has only cashed in on federalism and is unpopular at the national level. There is no alternative to changing the government."
He pointed that the government has not been able to pass the budget until now. "We are into the seventh month of the fiscal year and the budget has yet to be passed. It has not sent authorization for spending. No project is in operation," he claimed. "They distribute projects in the 11th month and indulge in spending. What have the people got? The government, therefore, needs to be changed."
He said he will be the contender for chief minister (CM) if the government changed as per the exercise of parliamentary system until now when asked if he would stake claim for the position. "The party can also decide otherwise if other friends seem to be better suited than me. Anyone can be a candidate after discussion in a lively party."
He conceded that there has been no formal discussion about changing the government but claimed that even RJP lawmakers are in favor of changing the Raut government. He stressed that the new government will be formed with CPN-RJP alliance.
"The alliance of CPN and Socialist Party has been broken now. There does not seem to be immediate chance of mending the relations looking at the developments," he quipped. "There is no chance of allying with Nepali Congress (NC). The new government will, therefore, be coalition of CPN and RJP."
He reasoned that CPN will get to lead the government in case of CPN-RJP alliance as RJP already has the post of speaker in the province.
CPN currently is the single largest party in the 107-strong provincial assembly with 32 seats. Socialist Party has 30 seats and RJP 25.
