Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has said “I’m impatient to hand over power” to a new government after completing the due constitutional process.

Inaugurating the 14th Elephant Festival in Chitwan on Tuesday, Deuba stressed that his government had held the local, provincial and federal parliamentary elections successfully in an environment of fear and uncertainties.

“The government is able to establish the country as a peaceful and democratic nation by ending the protracted transitional period,” said Deuba, claiming that the Congress has a history of successfully handling periods of political transition.

He claimed that his government had focussed solely on holding the election for implementing the constitution without caring for partisan interests. His party, the NC, stands third—behind the CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre)—in the first-past-the-post category of the federal parliamentary election. “The Congress is always committed to the development of Nepal and Nepalis whether or not it is in government,” said Deuba, claiming that governments led by the NC had carried out various development works in the field of road-building, health, education and technology.

Deuba also expressed his displeasure at the delay in Narayangadh-Muglin road expansion works. Stating that tourism in Chitwan was greatly affected by the earthquake of 2015 and floods this year, the PM believed that the elephant festival would attract visitors.