Politics
Oli calls all-party meeting for Saturday
Contemporary political issues along with House prorogation plan likely to be discussed.Post Report
Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has called an all-party meeting on Saturday morning.
Surya Thapa, press adviser to Oli, said that the prime minister has called a meeting of the political parties represented in the Parliament to discuss contemporary political issues.
Oli, according to Thapa, has himself telephoned top leaders of major political parties to invite them to the all-party meeting on Saturday.
Oli also spoke with Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday and requested to participate in the meeting, an aide to Dahal said.
Sources say Oli could discuss House prorogation as well during the meeting.
Oli had dissolved the House on December 20, much to the chagrin of political parties, constitutional experts and civil society. The Supreme Court, however, on February 23 overturned Oli’s decision and restored the House, asking authorities to convene its meeting within 13 days. Accordingly, the House meeting was called for March 7. But on the same day, hours before the House meeting, the Supreme Court scrapped the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and revived the UML and the Maoist Centre.
The House has since been almost dysfunctional.
Oli has been making arguments that his decision to dissolve the House was right because it has lost its relevance.
Oli has been making a pitch for snap polls, saying there is a need to seek people's fresh mandate.
Political crisis has deepened in the country of late, with no-confidence motions filed against provincial governments. Though such motions were withdrawn in Province 1 and Bagmati, a no-confidence motion was filed against Gandaki Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, a close ally of Oli, on Thursday.
Parties opposed to Oli are also planning to file a no-confidence motion against Lumbini Chief Minister Shanker Pokhrel, yet another confidante of Oli.
Though talks have been going on between Nepali Congress and the Maoist Centre to file a no-confidence motion against Oli, there has not been much development.
The Maosit Centre has not withdrawn the support it extended to Oli back in February 2018, and the Congress believes it would be a futile attempt to file a no- confidence motion unless the Maoist Centre pulls out its support to the government.
According to Thapa, Oli’s press adviser, the prime minister wants to discuss various contemporary issues with top leaders of political parties.
He did not elaborate.