President Ram Baran Yadav has issued a press statement on Friday formally calling on the political parties to form a national unity government as per the Article 38(1) of the Interim Constitution. The President has given seven days to the parties to form the new government.

The President has been regularly holding meetings with the major political parties, urging them to forge an agreement. The latest move by head of the state is expected to put pressure on the parties to find a breakthrough. The call from the President was not unexpected, since the deadline for holding the election, given by Baburam Bhattarai government expired on Thursday.

Ordinarily, the President would write to the parliament to form the next government. However, in absence of the legislative body, the interim constitution provides space for the formation of the government on the basis of political agreement. The President’s formal call has automatically turned incumbent government into a caretaker.

The opposition has welcomed President’s move and said it would pave way for consensus. They had been refusing to engage with the ruling Maoists and the Madhesis, maintaining that no agreement could be reached before Bhattarai government resigned.

Meanwhile, PMO has been tight lipped on the issue. Prime Minister’s political advisor Devendra Poudel has said that the government will review President’s statement before making its view public.