PM sacks Bhandari as recommended by MPRF-D

KATHMANDU, Oct 20: Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai on Wednesday relieved Defense Minister Sarat Singh Bhandari of his post, acting on a recommendation from Bhandari´s own party. Bhandari has been under controversy for over two weeks for his anti-national public statements.

As the prime minister announced the dismissal of Bhandari in parliament, the main opposition parties -- Nepali Congress and CPN-UML -- withdrew their parliament obstruction programs. [break]

The two parties had blocked regular proceedings of parliament for a week, demanding the resignation of Bhandari and another minister, Prabhu Sah. Sah tendered his resignation earlier this week

Bhandari, who is also a senior leader of the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D), landed in controversy after he said on September 26 that nothing can prevent the 22 districts of the Tarai from seceding if the state continued to be indifferent towards their concerns.

Earlier, a meeting of the MPRF-D political committee had decided to recall Bhandari from the cabinet despite opposition from some on the 19-member committee. The party had also consulted the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) before taking its decision.

The UDMF had refrained from making any suggestions on the issue, saying it was an internal matter for the MPRF-D.

“In order to save the present forward-looking coalition of the Maoists and Madhesi parties and to conclude the major tasks of the peace process and constitution writing, we have decided to recall Minister Bhandari and set an example of sacrifice for the nation, Madhes and the people,” said Spokesperson of MPRF-D Jitendra Dev at the party´s central office at Sanepa after the meeting of the political committee.

Four party leaders - Pramod Gupta, Bhandari himself, Nilam Burma, Nasheer Siddiqui - had boycotted the meeting before the decision was taken.

Shortly after he was sacked, Bhandari held a press conference to protest the decision.

“Why should I resign? Neither have I stepped down, nor will I,” said Bhandari while responding to journalists at the press conference in the capital. He also challenged the legitimacy of the decision taken by the political committee, saying that only the central committee could take such a decision.

But MPRF-D Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachchhdar, who is also deputy prime minister and home minister, warned those questioning the legitimacy of the decision taken by the political committee.

“The political committee is also a legal body of our party. So, there is no place for raising questions against a decision taken by it,” he said.

He threatened disciplinary action against those who protest the decision to recall Bhandari from the cabinet.

Speaking at the press conference Wednesday evening, Bhandari accused the NC and CPN-UML of victimizing him, saying he was not even given a chance to counter the charge against him.

“The main opposition parties NC and CPN-UML did not even follow the general norms of the parliamentary system on this issue,” he added.

He accused the party leadership of deviating from what he said was the right track and announced a plan to bring the party back on track. He said he would launch a nation-wide awareness campaign.

“The political committee is a body which can only make suggestions to the party. It is not a body that can take any decision,” Gupta told journalists after walking out of Wednesday´s meeting.

Meanwhile, Bhandari supporters chanted slogans against the party´s decision and Chairman Gachchhadar at the party office after the recall decision was taken.