Kathmandu. Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has planned to create a stir in the government to get the appointment of the governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank in his favor. Deuba, who has warned that if the governor is not appointed by the person he wants, then he is not in power, is pressuring Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to complete the process quickly.
After returning from his visit to Thailand (Baishakh 13), Deuba reached Baluwatar at 10 pm on Saturday and increased the pressure on Oli, asking why the governor has not been finalized. Sources claim that Prime Minister Oli told Deuba during that meeting that the governor will be finalized in a few days. The name of Dr. Gunakar Bhatta, the director of the Nepal Rastra Bank, has been finalized on behalf of the Congress. However, the matter has reached the Supreme Court, saying that the procedural issues in recommending the governor have not been resolved. Director Bhatta has already resigned to be recommended as the governor. But the resignation has not been accepted yet. There is growing uncertainty over whether the resignation of Acting Governor Neelam Dhungana will be accepted. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel has pressured Acting Governor Dhungana to accept the resignation on the 70th anniversary of the Nepal Rastra Bank, according to Finance Minister Poudel’s secretariat.
The Nepal Rastra Bank Act clearly states that a governor should be appointed one month before the end of the governor’s term. However, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Deuba are fighting over the appointment. A UML leader said that there has been a deep distrust between the two leaders over power sharing. The leader said, “Both leaders are suspicious of each other for power cooperation, India’s refusal to welcome Prime Minister Oli has created another problem, both leaders have Arjuna’s vision for the appointment. After Deuba’s warning that he will topple the government if he does not get a governor, Oli has agreed to give the governor to the Congress. But the UML is worried about Deuba’s plan to topple the government by taking the governor.”
All parties have now become favorable for Samapati Deuba to become the Prime Minister. Deuba has received the support of more than 60 MPs except the Congress. Congress leaders estimate that the more he delays now, the more counterproductive it will be for Deuba. The second-tier leaders of the Nepali Congress are putting intense pressure on Deuba to become the Prime Minister, saying that he should not delay any longer.
Deuba, who has a golden opportunity to become the Prime Minister, is putting intense pressure on Prime Minister Oli to make appointments. People close to the Nepali Congress have already taken appointments in the Securities and Exchange Board of Nepal, Insurance Authority, and Nepal Stock Exchange under the Ministry of Finance.
There is great disappointment in the UML ranks after all the appointments had to be handed over to the Congress even when the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister were from the same party.
Prime Minister Oli, who was determined to take the governor’s appointment anyway, has already given verbal agreement to the Congress to give the governor of the National Bank after receiving warnings that the government would be toppled. But Prime Minister Oli is planning to end the Election Commission and the governor at the same time. “If the governor is given to the Congress now, then the Congress will also claim the Election Commission tomorrow,” said a UML leader. “Now, Prime Minister Oli has no option but to appoint both posts at once.”
At the ‘Youth Celebration’ held at Bhrikuti Mandap on April 11, Prime Minister Oli has urged the cadres not to worry about power. He has said that he will play the issue of extending or leaving power based on the quorum in parliament. On the other hand, the CPN-Maoist Center has publicly stated that it will support Deuba in making him the Prime Minister. With the conclusion that now is the right time to overthrow the government, the Maoist leaders have kept all options open for joining the government. The leaders of the Nepali Congress are in constant contact with the top leaders of the Maoists.
However, sources claim that the Maoists have not been able to meet with the UML. Some time ago, when UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel tried to convince the Maoists, Maoist Center Deputy General Secretary Barshaman Pun made it public that the UML had made a proposal for power cooperation.
On the Congress side, Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat and Ganga Dahal are having frequent conversations. So, Prime Minister Oli has been giving speeches every day calling Sher Bahadur Ji the Prime Minister after 14 months.
Congress strategy to claim all appointments
President Deuba, who is looking for the above reasons to topple the government, has made a strategy to claim all appointments from the Congress. After all 4 appointments under the finance ministry, President Deuba’s attention has now turned to the Election Commission. The term of office of the Chief Commissioner of the Election Commission is ending in a few months. Sources claim that the Congress will take a stand during the appointment, even though there is an initial agreement to give the Chief Commissioner of the Election Commission to the UML. A Nepali Congress leader said, “Congress is the largest party, so it is natural for Congress to claim many appointments. Since Prime Minister Oli cannot be trusted much in power sharing, Congress will now have a stand on all appointments.”
All levels of the party’s unions are putting heavy pressure on Deuba not to give up all kinds of appointments. Deuba believes that if Congress takes a stand on all appointments, pressure on Oli will increase and it will be easier to change the government.
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