By P.R. Pradhan Along with the election results have been made public those leaders in the ruling alliance have become active and bargaining against each other for a share in important posts in the government. Meanwhile, there have been seen three candidates who are willing to become the PM although they lack the necessary majority to form a government. Talking about the ruling party, there has been seen three leaders wishing for becoming the PM in the new coalition government. They are Sher Bahadur Deuba, Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda and Madhav Nepal. Deuba’s party Nepali Congress is emerging as the largest party. If the political parties have a democratic culture, they should allow the Nepali Congress to form a minority government. Instead of exhibiting a democratic culture, Maoist Center chair Pushpakamal Dahal is claiming the post of the PM and also the president’s post for the party. The Maoist Center is the third largest party in Parliament, even though, by knowing the weakness of Deuba, is learnt to have claimed the post of the PM and the President. A large section of the NC leaders is against rewarding the Maoists with the post of President. Also, Prachanda has proposed sharing the PM’s post between Deuba and him turn by turn. On the other hand, Madhav Nepal, having a strength of 10 seats in Parliament, is lobbying for becoming the PM at least for one year. There is another drama inside the Nepali Congress. There have been seen six candidates who are claiming for the PM’s post. Gagan Thapa, Ramchandra Poudel, Sekhar Koirala, Prakashman Singh and Shashank Koirala have already expressed their desire to become the PM. However, Deuba seems to be able to secure his position strong from being elected as the leader of the parliamentarian party. Maoists’ bargaining and UML card: The Maoist Center has given priority to keep continue the present alliance, however, to put pressure on Deuba, the party has decided to keep its all options open. It means, if needed, the Maoist Center may join hands with the UML keeping the NC in the opposition bench. UML, on the other hand, is maintaining the “wait and see” position as its chair K.P. Sharma Oli believes that it is not an easy task to settle the power-sharing deal (bhagbanda) among the present ruling alliance partners. This is also the time to elect a new president, vice president, speaker, deputy speaker, provincial chiefs, and chief ministers. As no single party has bagged a majority in all seven provincial councils, there will be coalition governments in provinces also. Therefore, a broader agreement is needed in developing an alliance and forming the new government. Prolonged bargaining among the political parties for important positions may delay the formation of the new government. According to the present constitutional provision, within one month of submission of the election report by the Election Commission to the President, the House should be resumed. The House will elect the new speaker and deputy speaker and PM, President, VP. The sitting President should ask the political parties to claim for the formation of the government and within one month, the PM should take a vote of confidence from Parliament. As none of the political parties has got a clear mandate to form the government, the process of formation of the new government can be delayed. It is clear that it is impossible to get a new government within this year and we should wait for January 2023 for it. Decisive factor: Prachanda has said recently that one should need blessings from abroad to become the PM. Indeed, he is true as Indians are seen as keen on micromanagement in Nepal. It seems, there has appeared another force which is Western interests. Nepal is an important venue for the West as the country is bordered by China. Besides, of late, the West is in a move for campaigning Christianity in Nepal with the backing of secularism, federalism and republicanism. Although leaders have become unpopular and voters have discarded them, with foreign blessings, the same faces are going to appear in the government’s driving seat. Nevertheless, such a move will make the ruling political parties further weak among the voters resulting in a power tussle among the leaders, prolonging political instability and chaos. Due to the weak and visionless leadership, the country’s economy will further deteriorate.