New ruling coalition partners reach eight-point agreement

KATHMANDU: Four political parties comprising the newly formed ruling coalition have come together to finalize an eight-point agreement.

The CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Janata Samajbadi Party have reached consensus on key areas of collaboration for the new government.

The agreement reflects the recognition of the importance of cooperation among forces sharing common ideologies regarding good governance, development, social justice, and prosperity.

Under the leadership of CPN (Maoist Centre)'s Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', the parties have agreed to establish a new government with the participation of all four political entities.

Additionally, they have pledged support for CPN (Maoist Centre)'s candidate for the National Assembly chairperson and CPN-UML's candidate for the NA vice-chairperson.

Furthermore, the coalition partners have committed to allocating ministries through consensus.

The distribution of ministerial portfolios will take into account the features of each ministry, and dialogue will be initiated with other political parties to involve them in the government formation process.

In a bid to maintain sustainable peace in the country, the parties have agreed to expedite the finalization of bills related to transitional justice and the peace process, along with other pertinent issues.

Additionally, there is an understanding among coalition parties to enact laws related to federalism implementation, thus ensuring the effectiveness of all tiers of government. They also plan to develop a common minimum program to guide the government's policy and program.

The agreement sets the stage for reshuffling the incumbent government to facilitate the implementation of these commitments. Moreover, the coalition partners have expressed their collective commitment to promoting political stability, strengthening national sovereignty, independence, geographical integrity, and fostering socio-economic development oriented towards socialism.

The eight-point agreement was signed by CPN (UML) Chairperson KP Sharma Oli, CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairperson Rabi Lamichhane, and Janata Samajbadi Party Chairperson Upendra Yadav.

This comprehensive agreement marks a significant step forward in the collaborative efforts of political parties towards achieving common goals for the betterment of Nepal.