Officials say a key political party has quit Nepal's coalition government to protest the prime minister's decision to fire the army chief. The general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) announced the party's withdrawal. It was the second largest party in the coalition government. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal,a former Maoist rebel leader,sacked army chief Rookmangud Katawal on Sunday after accusing him of defying government orders. Nepal Premier Prachanda on Sunday fired army chief Gen Rukmanga Katawal for defying government orders but he shot back rejecting the decision,plunging the country into a fresh political crisis despite repeated calls from India for a rapprochement. 61-year-old Gen Katawal was sacked as he had disobeyed government's instructions,the PM's Press Adviser Om Sharma said,shortly after the decision was taken at a special cabinet meeting chaired by Prachanda and boycotted by four key constituents of the Maoists-led government. Lt Gen Kul Bahadur Khadka,the number two in the army and a confidant of Prachanda,was immediately named as acting army chief to replace Gen Katawal,who was to retire after three months. "The Army Chief was removed because he failed to give satisfactory explanation on why the government orders were ignored," Information Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara told reporters. Gen Katawal,however,declined to step down,according to media reports. He called an emergency meeting of top Generals at the Army Headquarters,private radio Nepal FM reported. The Maoist government's decision came despite domestic and international calls against such a move,including from India. India earlier repeatedly conveyed its concerns to Nepal over the Maoists-led government's plans to sack Gen Katawal. After returning from a whirlwind trip to New Delhi,Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood met Prachanda on April 26,their fourth meeting in 10 days amid Army-government stand-off here. The Maoists' move came a fortnight after they served an ultimatum to Gen Katawal,seeking his clarification on recruitments by military,its "hastiness" in reinstating eight generals retired by the government and its decision not to participate in the National Games. He had furnished his reply contending that he had not disobeyed the government's directives on removing eight generals and halting recruitment in the military. Following the Government's decision to fire him,a defiant Gen Katawal said the Prime Minister had no authority to remove him,the private radio said. The Cabinet meeting was boycotted by ministers belonging to four coalition partners,including the second largest constituent CPN-UML. Others who boycotted belonged to Madhesi People's Rights' Forum,Sadbhavana Party and CPN-United. The ministers from the four parties walked out of the meeting in protest soon after Prachanda proposed sacking the army chief,said Sunil Manandhar,General secretary of CPN-United,a member of the ruling five-party alliance. Prachanda made the proposal despite opposition from other parties,he said,adding the Maoists got into self isolation by making the unilateral decision - which needs the endorsement from the President. During the meeting of the High Level Political Mechanism,the Prime Minister was advised by the Maoists' coalition partners not to make the decision in a hurry but he did not listen,Manandhar said. The government has forwarded the Cabinet decision to sack the army chief to President Ram Baran Yadav,who is yet to endorse it. President Yadav is currently busy consulting legal experts and political leaders on the matter. Unless the President endorses the Prime Minister's decision,it will not come into effect,legal experts said. According to sources,Gen Katawal was inside the army headquarters and discussing the matter with the top Generals. Main opposition Nepali Congress and 16 other political parties had for long been opposing the Maoists' plans to remove the army chief. Soon after the Cabinet took the decision,there were reports of rallies here both in favour and against the move to sack the army chief. Nepal Students Union affiliated to opposition Nepali Congress organised protest shows in front of various colleges against the Maoists' decision to sack the army chief. Maoist-affiliated students and cadres of Young Communist League also demonstrated welcoming the decision. Security personnel have been deployed at various sensitive areas to maintain law and order amid reports that Maoists were burning tyres and blocking roads. Nepali Congress acting President Shushil Koirala,former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and leader of Terai Madhesh Democratic Party Mahanta Thakur met President Yadav and discussed the latest political situation. Nepali Congress has also convened an all-party meeting,excluding Maoists,to discuss the situation emerging out of the sacking of the army chief. CPN-UML too is holding a crucial meeting of its Standing Committee to come out with a stand on the matter while the Maoists are engaged in internal discussions. The Maoists' unilateral decision to sack the army chief was made with "ill intention" and was "illegal",said constitutional lawyer Dinesh Tripathi. This may derail the peace process and obstruct the Constitution drafting,he said. Since the government itself is in minority,the decision can be questionable on legal grounds,Tripathi said.
