The central executive committee meeting of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) that was expected to decide about formation of a new government could not even be convened on Thursday.
The main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Maoist Center) were awaiting JSP decision to form a new government excluding Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli. Maoist leader Barsha Man Pun had even claimed that a coalition government of NC, JSP and Maoist Center will be formed after JSP's meeting on Thursday but the party postponed the meeting citing lack of preparations.
JSP Chairman Upendra Yadav said time has yet to ripen for formation of the new government. "We will stand against regressive forces like Oli," Yadav told reporters after the meeting was called off. "We cannot tie the knot with Oli. Situation has also not yet matured. Cooperation with Oli would be betrayal of the Madhes movement."
He claimed that continuation of Oli as PM would help revocation of federalism.
Another JSP leader told Setopati that the party has held discussion with Oli, NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and demanded Constitution amendment and withdrawal of cases against the party leaders and cadres. The leader claimed that neither Oli nor Deuba have expressed solid commitment to fulfill the party's demands.
JSP seems to be divided on the issue of joining the government with a few including Chairman Mahantha Thakur claiming that the party can move forward helping Oli while Yadav and Baburam Bhattarai are adamant about forming a government excluding Oli.
"Those who say we should ally with Oli have yet to submit solid commitments from Oli on our demands," another JSP leader revealed. "Those who say we should form government under Deuba or excluding Oli also have not been able to present a roadmap for fulfilling our demands. Why should we hold central executive committee meeting in such situation? Preparation was not enough, it has been called off."
The leader stated that Deuba does not seem eager to forge a new alliance while Oli has refused to withdraw cases against JSP leaders and cadres despite the party negotiating with CPN-UML forming a task force.
Some in JSP are saying that the party should lead the next government but it has yet to prepare parliamentary party statute and elect parliamentary party leader. "There was informal agreement to make Rajendra Mahato the parliamentary party leader before unification of Rashtriya Janata Party and Federal Socialist Party," the leader claimed. "Upendra Yadav has commented that he is unaware about that agreement. Who will be parliamentary party leader is yet to be known."
There are also some who say the parliamentary party leader should not lead the party in the government if JSP doesn't get to lead the government.
JSP currently has 32 House of Representatives (HoR) members with Resham Chaudhary jailed and Hari Narayan Chaudhary suspended. NC, which had won 63 seats, has 61 members with Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar suspended and Mohammad Aftab Alam jailed. Maoist Center has 48 lawmakers.
The three parties together can form government excluding Oli who says he is ready to face no-confidence motion in the House.
UML can form government with support of JSP or even a faction of the party if it were to split over joining the government.
