KATHMANDU: A flurry of rumors swept through Kathmandu on Monday, claiming that Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ had held talks with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, proposing the formation of a national government. However, insiders have dismissed these claims as baseless.
Reports had surfaced suggesting that Dahal demanded unity among republican forces and urged the government to fulfill opposition demands. Yet, sources within the Maoist camp clarified that no such talks took place between the three leaders.
While the speculation about the tripartite discussion remains unsubstantiated, it is true that UML leader Agni Kharel met Dahal four days ago. Kharel, who previously served as Law Minister, reportedly met the Maoist leader in a personal capacity, not as an envoy of Prime Minister Oli.
During their meeting, Kharel and Dahal discussed the peace process and the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Kharel highlighted the need for major political parties to collaborate in completing the peace process and suggested that republican forces should unite, especially in the face of recent royalist rallies.
Kharel reportedly expressed concern over the Maoists’ suspension of their Madhesh campaign, stating that it created the impression that republicans were fearful amid growing royalist sentiment. He also critiqued Dahal for his remarks about former King Gyanendra Shah, suggesting that his choice of words had been inappropriate.
Sources say that Dahal was open to the idea of unity among republican forces, but felt that the initiative should come from the Prime Minister himself.
Following Kharel’s meeting with Dahal, Rajesh Shakya from Prime Minister Oli’s secretariat reportedly contacted Ganga Dahal, who works in Dahal’s secretariat, expressing interest in facilitating a dialogue between the two leaders. However, as Ganga was out of the capital at the time, no formal meeting took place.
A senior Maoist leader confirmed that while Shakya’s call took place, there was no direct conversation between Prime Minister Oli and Prachanda, nor was there any communication between Dahal and Deuba.
A Maoist leader close to Dahal dismissed rumors of deliberate avoidance of dialogue, emphasizing that while the party remains open to conversations with any political force, their priority at the moment is grassroots engagement rather than negotiations with the government.
The leader reiterated that Dahal’s stance remains unchanged: republican forces should come together, but meaningful initiatives must come from the government’s side.
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