By Our Reporter Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, following the gentleman agreement, has stepped-downfrom the government as per the gentleman agreement reached between him and NC president SherBahadurDeuba during the formation of the Dahal-led coalition government in last year. As Dahal was preparing to quit, some NC and UML leaders argued on Sunday and Monday that Dahal should not quit the government without holding the second phase local poll slated for June 14. NC leaders Krishna Sitaula and DrShekharKoirala said that it would be impractical to hold an election by two governments, and this type of practice does not exist in the world. The two leaders said that Dahal who managed to hold the first phase local poll successfully should be allowed to hold the second phase poll. However, Dr Ram SharanMahat speaking at a face to face programmewas reported to have told that PM Dahal should step down immediately. Even during the meeting of the Poudel faction, which blamed party president Deuba for the humiliating defeat of NC in the local poll especially in Kathmandu valley and municipalities, indirectly hinted that Dahal should be allowed to remain in power until the second phase poll. The NC leaders said changing the government will send a negative message to the voters and will have a negative effect in the second phase poll as the leaders will be spending more time in forming the government. Also it will take at least two weeks to form a new government. However, the Poudel faction leaders claimed that they did not know the gentleman agreement reached between Deuba and Dahal. According to the agreement, Dahal should have quit in mid-April, but he did not as the local election was not conducted in April. Similarly, Dahal was said to put in paper on Thursday last week, but he postponed the date till Wednesday. It was said that he had prepared the speech to announce his resignation from the parliament. However, by the time this story was prepared, there was not certain whether Dahal quit as a faction of NC leaders and the UML leaders wanted his continuity till the holding of the June 14 election. UML feared whether Deuba would not be able to hold the second phase poll. Even Dahal has not been sure about holding the poll without amending the constitution which is impossible without UML’s support. PM Dahal won accolades for holding the first phase poll successfully, and he does not want to spoil his image by remaining in power to hold the second phase local poll, which may be difficult without amending the constitution.