The Hindu Business Line : Deadlocked over president, Nepal parties agree on residence

KATHMANDU: Nearly three months after the landmark Constituent Assembly election, Nepal's mainstream parties have failed to break the deadlock over the choice of the head of state, a key roadblock to the formation of a new government in the country, but h ave agreed on the choice of the residence for the president.

Though Nepal's major political parties have serious differences over the issue of who will be the first president of the country, there was no disagreement in choosing 'Sheetal Niwas', the office of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, as the official residence for the president.

The interim government decided to convert the foreign ministry office, situated at Maharajgunj on the outskirts of the capital, as the residence of the first head of state.

Nepal's Constituent Assembly on May 28 declared the erstwhile Hindu kingdom a republic by abolishing the 240-year-old monarchy. In line with the decision of the special assembly, dethroned King Gyanendra on June 11 vacated the Narayanhiti Palace and star ted living in a government owned Nagarjun Palace on the outskirts of the capital.

Since then, the government was on the lookout for an appropriate residence for the president of the Himalayan nation. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is currently functioning as the head of the state by holding all the powers that the previous king used to enjoy, including his cultural and ceremonial role for the past two years. - PTI

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