Parliament on Friday began discussions on a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli registered by the CPN (Maoist Centre) and the Nepali Congress following a deal between the parties to let House first table the three bills related to the budget.

The bills, however, were rejected by a majority. 

While speaking at Parliament, Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who has registered the no-trust motion, said PM Oli’s “self-centric” actions prompted his party to seek to remove his government.

As per an earlier schedule, the House was scheduled to discuss the no-confidence motion on Thursday, but owing to dispute between the ruling parties and the NC-Maoist alliance over which issue—no-trust motion or budget-related bills-should be discussed first, Parliament meeting was postponed until Friday.

The Madhes-based parties, which had long been boycotting parliamentary proceedings, on Friday were present in the House to vote against the three budget bills.

Earlier on Friday, a meeting of the NC, Maoist Centre and the Madhes-based parties rejected a four-point proposal floated on Thursday by senior NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel.

After discussion on the no-trust motion started in the evening, Maoist Chairman Dahal, in his an hourlong speech, charged PM Oli with failing to comply with the understanding. While saying that PM Oli is not keen to embrace federalism and republican set-up, Dahal alleged that Oli “has a tendency to provoke and irritate all”.

Dahal spent a considerable amount of time to speak against Oli.

“In the last nine months I have realised that PM Oli was only ‘using’ the Maoist party,” he said. He also blamed the Oli government for showing reluctance to complete the remaining tasks of peace process and address the concerns raised by Madhesi and other groups. Dahal also alleged that “some lawyers close to PM Oli were hatching a conspiracy to send Maoist leaders to jail.”  “Efforts are being made to foil the peace process,” Dahal said.

He, however, maintained that he did not have any intention to break the alliance with the UML. “But Oli’s self-centred approach and tendency to dismiss other parties led to the present situation,” he said. “PM Oli betrayed a ‘gentleman’s agreement’.”

Dahal, however, did mention that there “are still chances of a unity government”, which he said is the need of the hour.

Responding to Dahal, CPN-UML’s Deputy Parliamentary Party Leader of Subas Nembang said the [no-trust] motion was registered when PM Oli was considering his resignation.

Nembang also lashed out at Dahal for the allegations made against PM Oli, saying that the Maoist chairman’s party was part of the government until he filed a no-trust motion against the prime minister.

He also questioned Dahal’s competence, saying that he was leading the High-level Political Mechanism that was formed to guide the government in its activities. According to Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar, discussion on the no-trust motion will be held until Sunday and voting on the proposal will be conducted on the same day after PM Oli replies to the queries raised by lawmakers.

The next meeting of Parliament is scheduled for Saturday.