Parties Look For Consensus Candidate

As the incumbent head of state's five-year term draws to a close on March 9, political parties represented in parliament are preparing for the upcoming presidential election. This election marks an interesting development in the nation's politics, as it has become evident that the fate of the current ruling alliance is tightly bound to who is chosen as the new president. This has caused considerable polarisation among the parties involved, making it difficult to predict what shape the alliance will take before and after this crucial vote. When the current coalition government led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ was formed, it was decided that the new president would be from the CPN-UML, which is the most prominent partner in the ruling alliance.