Nepalese prime minister Khanal resigns

Nepalese prime minister Khanal resigns

2011-08-15 03:15:29 GMT+7 (ICT)

KATHMANDU (BNO NEWS) -- Nepalese Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal resigned on Sunday, creating further uncertainty in the progress of peace negotiations and the drafting of the constitution, the Himalayan Times reported.

Khanal submitted his resignation to President Ram Baran Yadav after six months and 11 days in the top post. As per the constitutional provisions, the president asked him to bearing the caretaker role while the Legislature-Parliament elects a new government.

The premier, who was elected in February after seven months of political stalemate, quit after failing to make a remarkable progress on the peace negotiations which he was expecting to happen by Saturday. He had vowed to step down if the government failed to conclude major tasks of the peace process and forge consensus by August 13.

Khanal is expected to address the Legislature-Parliament session on Monday to shed light on why the peace process and the constitution drafting could not gain speed during his tenure. Earlier on Saturday, Khanal made some serious proposals before a meeting of the top leaders of the three major parties for the formation of a government of consensus, but no agreement was reached.

The main challenges which Khanal faced during his tenure was the formation of a consensus government and the drafting of the constitution. A new constitution was a condition of a 2006 peace agreement which the Maoists signed with the government, ending a decade-long civil war.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-08-15