Nepal president gives parties a week to form new govt
Nepal's president Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Sunday called on the country's political parties to try to form the new government within a week after previous month's inconclusive national election.
The ruling alliance, led by the Nepali Congress party of Premier Sher Bahadur Deuba, and the main opposition Nepal Communist Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) party need the support of smaller groups to form a new government.
Nepal, a country of 30 million people that is squeezed between China and India, has seen 10 government changes since the abolition of 239-year-old monarchy in 2008.
The political instability has hit economic growth and spooked investors.
The ruling alliance secured 136 seats in the election, 2 less than the required majority of 138 in the 275-member House of Representatives. The Unified Marxist-Leninist party and its allies won 92 seats.
A statement from President Bidhya Devi Bhandari's office said: 'Any member of the House of Representatives, who can command the majority with the support of two or more parties' should stake a claim for being appointed as prime minister by 5 pm on December 25.
'We will discuss within the (ruling) alliance and with other political parties about the formation of the new government under our leadership,' Nepali Congress party spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat told media.
Prakash Sharan Mahat said Deuba, 76, was a front-runner to be appointed premier for the sixth time.
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