Kathmandu. The number of governments falling and forming has increased due to disagreements over appointments. The government has been re-formed 4 times since the 2079 BS election.
The Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist, and CPN-Socialist had contested the election together. But after Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba first said that he would become the Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda betrayed Deuba and formed the government together with CPN-UML.
After the UML got the Speaker, the UML also claimed the President. Saying that the President could not be given to the UML, Prachanda changed the government again by giving the President to the Nepali Congress. After the appointment of Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel as President, the dispute between the Congress and the Maoists over the appointment of the National Assembly Speaker intensified.
After this, the Maoists again formed an alliance with the UML, with the National Assembly Speaker being taken by the Maoists. Within a few months of the alliance with the UML, the issue of the appointment of the Securities Board Chairman created a rift between the UML and the Maoists. After allegations that middlemen had manipulated the appointment of the Board Chairman to the tune of five billion rupees, the Maoists, who had sometimes aligned with the Congress and sometimes with the UML, became isolated and left power.
A heated dispute has also started in the current government formed by the Congress-UML alliance over the issue of appointments. Currently, the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister are from the CPN-UML. But the UML is assisting the Congress in appointments under the Ministry of Finance. The Chairman of the Securities Board, Insurance Authority, Nepal Stock Exchange, and people close to the Nepali Congress have already taken appointments. Now the Nepali Congress has made a clear stand that it wants the Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank. But the UML is now arguing that all appointments cannot be given to the Nepali Congress.
Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has left for Thailand, informing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli that the government is not in its own hands if he does not get the Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank. After the UML received information that some middlemen, including President Deuba, had also reached Thailand to change the government, UML leaders have reached the conclusion that the government will collapse.
Speaking at the Youth Celebration on Wednesday (Baishakh 11), Prime Minister Oli asked UML cadres to prepare for the elections. He has clearly stated that he will wield power based on numbers in the parliament.
He said, “Do not be under any illusion, because we have taken a clear stand on nationalism, foreign agents have been working against the CPN (UML). Not only that, but because of our nationalist stance, perspective and struggle, because of our pro-people stance, democratic practices, conduct, perspective and clear policy to move the country forward, various forces have become afraid of us and have tried to spread various kinds of illusions day after day.”
He added, “I would like to urge my friends to embark on Mission 084 with confidence. Running the government, leading the government, participating in the government, whatever needs to be done here, now, according to the structure of the parliament, to move the country forward in the right way. The CPN (UML) will make the best efforts possible. So don’t worry about this. Focus on Mission 084. Mission 084 is a mission to develop UML as a decisive national force.”
Congress leaders pressure Deuba to move forward
The second-tier leaders of the Nepali Congress are already pressuring Sher Bahadur Deuba to become the Prime Minister. Expressing doubts about Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli leaving power after 15 months, they are increasing the pressure by saying that now is the right time to become the Prime Minister. A Congress leader said, “Prime Minister Oli is now saying day after day that he will give the Prime Minister to the Congress after 15 months. But there is no basis to believe him, there is no decision on when the communists will unite in this country, President Deuba is clear on this.”
The leader claimed that the visit to Thailand was not just a family affair. According to the leader, President Deuba will also formulate a possible strategy on the issue of governorship and power sharing. The leader claims that now is the right time for the Congress to lead. The leader added, “If we wait for UML for 15 months, parties including Maoists will propose Oli to become the Prime Minister again, for this counter plan, we will have to offer Prachanda to become the Prime Minister again. In this way, the Nepali Congress can waste time without taking the leadership.” According to the leader, if the communists unite in the 2084 elections, it will be very uncomfortable for the Nepali Congress. Therefore, the main objective of the Congress is to prevent the communists from uniting before the 2084 elections.
Commitment of 60 MPs to Deuba
President Deuba has received the commitment of more than 60 MPs to become the Prime Minister immediately. More than 60 MPs from the CPN-Maoist, CPN-Socialist and National Independent Party have pledged their support. Currently, the CPN-Maoist has 32 seats, the CPN-Socialist has 10, and the Rashtriya Swatantra Party has 21 seats. The total number of these three parties is 63. Adding the 87 seats of the Nepali Congress, it will reach 150 seats.
138 seats are enough to form the government. According to sources, the Nepali Congress has received commitments from all three parties. Talking to Singha Dabar, a high-ranking source said, “Prachanda is planning to remove Prime Minister Oli from the government no matter what, the Samajwadi Party also has support in this. The Congress has promised to protect Ravi Lamichhane, and the Rashtriya Swatantra Party will support Deuba in making him the Prime Minister.”
Recently, the Congress’s relations with the Rashtriya Swatantra Party have been improving. The second-tier leaders of the Congress and the Maoists are in constant dialogue.
Monday’s cabinet meeting also failed to appoint a governor, what has happened so far?
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