Prachanda's Maoist party to quit Deuba government

Kathmandu: The CPN (Maoist Centre), which joined the Leftist alliance led by main opposition CPN-UML, has decided to quit as coalition partner of the Nepali Congress-led government on Tuesday, a media report said. Home Minister Janardan Sharma is to address a press meet later in the day to announce the party's decision, the Kathmandu Post reported. Earlier, the CPN (Maoist Centre) had said that it would continue to support the Sher Bahadur Deuba government despite having joined the leftist alliance. Prime Minister Deuba during the final Parliament meet on October 14 had hinted at removing CPN (MC) ministers from the government. The Communist parties — CPN-UML led by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, CPN (Maoist Centre) of former Premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', and the Naya Shakti Party-Nepal of former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai — formed an alliance last month.