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Political analysts said the moves did not suggest the fledgling
government of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a former Maoist
rebel who goes by his nom the guerre Prachanda, was in immediate
trouble as it still enjoys majority support in parliament. But
they said the turmoil could lead a new coalition being formed.
Prachanda said on Friday he would support Ram Chandra Paudel
from the opposition Nepali Congress party in next month's
presidential election, instead of the candidate of his coalition
partner, the Communist Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) party. He
did not give a reason for his decision, though the Nepali
Congress party is a former ally of Prachanda's Maoist Centre
party.
On Saturday, Rajendra Lingden, the deputy prime minister who was
also minister for energy, water resources and irrigation,
resigned in protest, along with the ministers for urban
development and legal matters, while a junior minister assisting
Lingden also quit.
"The coalition under which we joined the government is no more
intact," Lingden told Reuters, adding it would not be "proper
for them to continue in the government."
Prachanda's office confirmed the four ministers had resigned but
did not say whether the resignations had been accepted.
Nepal is set to elect its third president on March 9, a
ceremonial position which assumed a key role during past
political crises.
Nestled between China and India, Nepal has seen 11 governments
since it abolished its 239-year monarchy in 2008 and became a
republic.
Political instability has scared investors and held back growth
of its $40 billion economy.
(Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Rupam Jain and Mark
Potter)
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