Valley
Poudel floats 4-point plan to end stalemate
Senior Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel on Thursday floated a four-point proposal, aiming a “package deal” among major parties to end the current impasse.Binod Ghimire
Senior Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel on Thursday floated a four-point proposal, aiming a “package deal” among major parties to end the current impasse.
With the governing CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress-Maoist Centre alliance refusing to budge from their stances, Thursday’s Parliament meeting was postponed until Friday.
The governing alliance led by the UML has been maintaining that three bills related to the budget should be discussed first in Parliament while the NC and the Maoist Centre have been insisting that a no-confidence motion registered by them should be the priority.
During a top level political meeting on Thursday afternoon, Poudel proposed a middle path, in which he has outlined four points: withdrawal of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, resignation of PM Oli, sorting out constitutional complexities for the election of [new] prime minister and [parties] working in tandem for the implementation of the constitution.
The ruling alliance has indicated that it “is open to discussing the proposal”.
The proposal comes in a line with PM Oli’s stand that the NC and the Maoist Centre should withdraw the no-trust motion for him to resign.
'I have proposed a deal in a package, as it could give us a long-term solution to the current stalemate'
Ram Chandra Poudel, NC leader
'PM Oli is not negative about Poudel’s proposal. We will again hold discussion on the matter on Friday'
Subas Nembang, UML leader
“I have proposed [that] we reach a deal in a package, as it could give us a long-term solution to the current stalemate,” said Poudel after Thursday’s meeting.
Speaker Onsari Gharti has postponed Parliament meeting until 2pm Friday after major parties sought more time to find a meeting point.
The major parties on Thursday held two rounds of talks where they discussed various options. The parties had also floated an idea of tabling both the agendas—no-trust motion and budget-related bills—together for discussion at the same meeting of Parliament. However, the idea failed to gain traction, according to NC leaders, who said PM Oli was of the view that “the constitution needs to be amended for the formation of a new government as it in does not have provisions of forming a new government”.
UML leaders said PM Oli was “not negative” about Poudel’s proposal. “We will again hold discussion on the matter on Friday,” said UML Deputy Parliamentary Party Leader Subas Nembang.
The parties are scheduled to sit for talks again on Friday at noon.
NC leaders, however, said discussion on the no-confidence motion will move ahead on Friday if parties fail to reach an agreement before the House meeting, scheduled for 2pm, starts.
“We have shown maximum flexibility. If the governing parties continue to stick to their guns, discussion on the no-confidence will start on Friday,” said NC leader Prakash Sharan Mahat.
The ruling parties, however, have already indicated that they would obstruct House proceedings if the no-confidence motion is tabled for discussion before the budget-related bills.