Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has claimed that his caretaker government has a broader mandate to manage the transition.

Responding to questions from lawmakers on the government’s annual policies and programmes at Parliament on Sunday, Dahal said, “The government has neither lost its majority nor the people are against it. My resignation from the prime ministerial post is a strategic move to provide an outlet to the nation.” 

Dahal, who tendered his resignation as the prime minister on Wednesday, said that he had been continuously striving to take the opposition parties into confidence. 

“There is a reason behind the opposition parties’ preference that I continue to take the government leadership for a little longer,” he said, adding that his government successfully held the first phase of local elections and ensured the second round of polls.

“My focus is on ending current transition by concluding the elections at provincial and federal levels after the conclusion of local level polls.”

“The elections wouldn’t have been possible if I was concerned about their results. Rather than pressing for poll victories, I created an opportunity for you to win the elections by bringing together the Mountains, Hills and Madhes,” Dahal said, hinting at KP Oli, chairman of the CPN-UML which has won the highest number of seats in the first phase of polls held in 281 local units. 

The PM also clarified that he went out of his way—beyond his party’s interest—to hold the first phase of local polls considered to be the need for the implementation of the constitution. 

“The elections could not have taken place had I put my party at the centre,” said PM Dahal, who also chairs the CPN (Maoist Centre). 

Brushing off suggestions from some lawmakers that the government’s policies and programmes were temporary, PM Dahal said, “The policies and programmes are not temporary as claimed. The meeting was called to discuss them for any necessary amendments.”