Kathmandu, Feb. 17 -- Nepali Congress leader and former minister Minendra Rijal is known for his sharp analysis of national and regional politics. The Post's Thira Lal Bhusal sat down with him for insights on, among other things, the Congress-UML coalition's pledge to amend the constitution, the coalition's longevity, and the government's relations with neighbours.

Based on its first seven months, what is your assessment of the longevity of this coalition and government leadership handover?

I can easily see that both the leaders-KP Oli and Sher Bahadur Deuba Deuba-have clear incentives to keep this coalition intact. Prime Minister Oli would definitely like to maintain the UML's status as the dominant communist party in the country. The ...