CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has met Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba at the latter's residence in Budhanilkantha Tuesday.
Dahal reached Deuba residence for discussion about forming the next government after President Bidya Devi Bhandari invited parties to form majority government by nine Thursday night.
Deuba has also called meeting with top leaders Maoist Center and Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), and a meeting of NC office-bearers later on Tuesday.
NC President Deuba, Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and JSP Chairman Upendra Yadav issued a joint statement urging President Bhandari to invite parties to form majority government as per Article 76(2) of the Constitution immediately after Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli flunked the floor test. President Bhandari did so a few hours later.
The current strength of HoR is 271 after Maoist Center expelled four lawmakers who joined CPN-UML after the Supreme Court (SC) invalidated unification of UML and Maoist Center on March 7.
Ruling UML currently has 121 lawmakers, NC 63 (but two are suspended), Maoist Center—that earlier Tuesday decided to withdraw support from the Oli government, has 49 (including Speaker), JSP 34 (including two suspended) and three lawmakers are independent.
The parties will have to muster support of 136 lawmakers to form the majority government as per Article 76(2) of the Constitution.
