The chances of the country getting a new Prime Minister during parliamentary voting on Monday appears remote as at least two major groups the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and the United Democratic Madheshi Front (UDMF) are likely to remain neutral,like in the past two rounds of voting. The UDMF,an alliance of four Madheshi parties,is unlikely to vote in favour of any of the two candidates Prachanda from the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (UCPN-M) and Ramchandra Poudel from the Nepali Congress as the parties refused to endorse two crucial demands of the Front. The Nepali Congress remained silent on the Fronts demand for One Madhesh One Pradesh and the proposal for the entry of Madheshis into the Nepal Army in proportion to their population. The latter would require an allocation of around 25 per cent of the positions in the Army for the people from Madhesh,that comprises 23 districts in the plains of Nepal. The UCPN-M for its part,turned down the two demands of the Madheshis outright. Jitendra Dev,a leader of the UDMF said the Front will meet again on Monday to review the deadlock. The UDMF has demanded One Madhesh One Pradesh with right to self-determination and we need clarification, said Ram Sharan Mahat,a member of Congress central committee. The UML too will remain neutral because it hopes for a Prime Minister by consensus. If the two groups maintain their posture,only 409 members will cast their votes in favour or against the two candidates. In such a situation,no candidate will be able to secure a minimum of 300 votes required to win the race.
