Nepali Congress, the largest party in the ruling coalition, has asked all its lawmakers to stand in favour of the recently issued ordinances in Parliament even if they have personal reservations about them.

Party president Sher Bahadur Deuba issued the instruction to Congress lawmakers at a meeting attended by the party’s office bearers and ministers. He convened the meeting to set the party’s official tone ahead of the parliamentary party meeting scheduled for Sunday. According to Congress leaders present at the meeting, Deuba instructed his party lawmakers not to criticise the ordinance brought by the KP Sharma Oli-led government.

Deuba’s instruction has come at a time when a faction within the party led by senior leader Shekhar Koirala, opposition parties and some sections of civil society have accused the government of introducing laws bypassing Parliament.

The government recommended five ordinances on January 10 but President Ramchandra Paudel authenticated only four of them on January 13. He issued the remaining one in a few days after studying it.

The prime minister and ministers have claimed in public that the ordinances were introduced with an aim to improve service delivery and create a business-friendly environment, attract foreign investment, and promote the information and technology sector.

A few weeks prior to that, the government had introduced another ordinance on cooperatives.

Congress Chief Whip Shyam Ghimire said that the meeting decided that all of the party’s lawmakers should present themselves in favour of the ordinances.

“While we might have differences in many things, they can be debated in the party meeting. But while representing the party in Parliament, every Congress lawmaker should have a unanimous voice,” Chief Whip Ghimire said, referring to the decision of the meeting.

When asked if a democratic party like Congress is restraining its party lawmakers from airing their independent voices in Parliament, Ghimire said, “The party has its own code of discipline, and the lawmakers should abide by it.”

However, Congress General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma denied that party lawmakers would be restricted from making independent opinions in Parliament.

“Being a coalition partner does not mean that lawmakers of the party won’t be able to put forward their opinion independently,” said Sharma.

Sharma emphasised that the issue will be discussed at the parliamentary party meeting, which is scheduled for Sunday, and that will finalise the party’s official position to this effect.

General Secretary Sharma, however, was not present at Saturday’s party meeting.

Chief Whip Ghimire, quoting party President Deuba, also said that ordinances were introduced because amending some acts had become necessary to bring visible reforms in the country’s economy.

“The ordinances were brought to rejuvenate the economic sectors,” Ghimire quoted Deuba.

During the meeting, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak briefed the party leadership about the status of various mechanisms formed between the two ruling parties to help the government in its functioning.

Likewise, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari and Minister of Health and Population Pradip Paudel briefed the party leadership about the respective ministries’ performances.