Koirala-Prachanda agree to end political impasse

KATHMANDU: The warring Nepalese leaders have agreed to form a multi-party political mechanism to find a way out from the current political impasse.

The deal to opt for such a cross party mechanism was understood to have arrived at Singapore when the Maoist strongman and former Prime Minister Prachanda met the ailing Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala.

Koirala currently undergoing medical treatment in Singapore, is learnt to have asked Prachanda to find a middle-path in order to end the deadlock that has blocked passage of the country's budget for the current fiscal year.

"Koirala and Prachanda have agreed to end the deadlock by forming a high level political mechanism", highly placed sources said.

During the 45 minute long meeting, the two leaders discussed threadbare the present political impasse which had overtaken Nepal, Samir Dahal, Prachanda's aide said.

According to sources, Koirala asked Prachanda to back a solution without humiliating the President, to which Prachanda had given a positive nod.

Maoists have paralysed the country for the past five months by picketing 'Singhdurbar' Nepal's civil secretariat and all regional administrative offices calling for resignation of the present coalition government and the President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to restore what they call "civilian supremacy".

-PTI