The left alliance could not reach agreement on ticket sharing between CPN-UML and CPN Maoist Center for a few federal and provincial constituencies despite efforts for that throughout Saturday.
A meeting including top leaders of both the parties at the residence of UML leader Bam Dev Gautam in Bhainsepati from morning till late night could agree on apportionment of just 115 of the 128 federal constituencies to go for polls in the second phase on December 7.
UML will field candidates in 68 (59%) constituencies out of the agreed 115, Maoist Center in 36 (31%), while the alliance will not field candidates in 10 constituencies and support candidates like Chairman of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) Narayan Man Bijukchhe in Bhaktapur-1, Hridayesh Tripathi who quit Rastriya Janata Party Nepal to contest as an independent candidate, a candidate of Ratsriya Janamorcha a smaller constituent of the alliance and others. The alliance also has yet to agree on 28 of the 256 constituencies to go for voting in the second phase.
The leaders will meet on Monday to settle the remaining constituencies as the parties will have to submit amended list for proportional representation (PR) candidates on Sunday, and they also will have to hold internal discussions in the respective parties. "There is not much to settle. We will agree on the remaining constituences tomorrow as we still have time to file nominations," UML leader Surendra Pandey said.
The constituencies that have yet to be agreed are in Chitwan, Jhapa, Sunsari, Udayapur and Salyan districts. The major problems are in Chitwan-2 and Salyan. Maoist Center is adamant that ticket for Chitwan-2 should be given to Ram Bahadur Thapa while UML is taking a stance for Chitwan president of UML Krishna Bhakta Pokharel there. UML, similarly, also wants Salyan for former lawmaker and chairman of the finance committee of parliament Prakash Jwala.
