Khanal gov't under pressure

Nepalese Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal worked Monday to save his 5-month-old coalition government after his Maoist partners threatened to pull out. The Maoists, or the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, are seeking more of its people to be inducted in the Cabinet. Khanal, who leads the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, came to power in February after winning the support of the Maoists, ending months of political drama. The Maoists, led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, have held the most seats in Parliament since elections in 2008. TelegraphNepal.com reported Prachanda, after a meeting that went late into the night, made more commitments to the peace process and that Khanal had assured he would induct new Maoists ministers, which may extend the life of the current government for a while. It was, however, not clear how many new Maoists would be inducted in the Cabinet. Nepal was a Hindu kingdom for more than two centuries before it was brought down in 2006 following a deadly 10-year Maoist insurgency that ended with a peace deal. The current constituent assembly has until Aug. 31 to have a new constitution in place to make way for a national government.