CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli once again vented his ire at the budget for the new fiscal year on Saturday, fuelling speculations of growing discord among the ruling parties.

On May 29, the day after Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun read out the national budget in Parliament, Oli lambasted some of the provisions and said the fiscal plan was of “one minister and one party”.

Oli and his party were unhappy with some of the provisions, including the distribution of funds to the conflict victims, who mostly are CPN (Maoist Centre) members. Oli’s UML is the largest partner in the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led coalition government.

Addressing the UML parliamentary party meeting on Saturday, Oli said the budget had failed to address the concerns of the poor. “Our duty is to stop poverty and lead the country towards development. If the poor are not benefitting and development is not happening, how can we satisfy them?” Oli wondered.

He also asked the party’s ministers to see the status of the ministries they lead. “We have to keep track of the budget allocated to the ministries led by the UML,” Oli said, directing the party’s lawmakers to openly discuss the budget in the party and in Parliament.

He also accused the government of failing to pay enough attention to development activities. “Our party joined the government to stop poverty and advance development. If that is not happening, how can we be satisfied?” Oli said.

Stating that the percentage of the poor had now increased, Oli claimed that poverty had been reduced significantly during his premiership, which lasted over three years until July 2021.

A UML central committee leader told the Post that Oli has already expressed his dissatisfaction with the budget with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Oli’s second instance of expressing his displeasure with the budget signals a growing misunderstanding between the two leaders, UML leaders said. Oli wants more spending in the sectors of entrepreneurship and infrastructure.

He urged the UML ministers to study the budget but directed the party’s lawmakers not to comment on it on social media platforms. “It’d be better to express your concerns and comments at party meetings,” Oli told UML lawmakers.

Also on Saturday, Gagan Thapa, a general secretary of the opposition Nepali Congress, raised questions about the government’s activities. The UML is in government, but the party is acting as if it is not a part of it, he said. “The UML first sent junior party leaders to the Cabinet. Now it has stopped owning up the government’s activities,” Thapa shared his observation.

When the UML goes to people, it takes no responsibility for the government’s works, he said. “They are acting as though the UML was not consulted while the Maoists prepared the budget.”

The party had deputed former finance minister Bishnu Poudel to provide inputs and suggestions for the budget.