KATHMANDU, June 7: The chairman of the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) on Sunday informed the Constituent Assembly (CA) Secretariat of its decision to withdraw support to the newly-formed government. [break]
The party, which has been facing deep intra-party conflict, has also asked Constituent Assembly Chairperson Subas Nembang to strip membership from expelled leaders Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, Sarat Singh Bhandari and Ram Janam Choudhari of CA membership as they are no longer with the party.
MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav said the party has also asked Nembang in writing to arrange for the opposition bench in the CA.
The party decided to roll back its support to the government on Friday, accusing the prime minister and the Nepali Congress of splitting the party by giving berth to parliamentary leader Gachchhadar in the cabinet as deputy prime minister without party approval.
The party’s General Secretary Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav said they had handed a letter to the prime minister, asking him to sack Gachchhadar from the post as he is no longer a member of the MPRF.
Similarly, the party wrote to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, drawing the latter’s attention to what it said was Gachchhadar´s unconstitutional appointment. The party has argued the appointment is unconstitutional as he was given the berth in cabinet without party approval.
Article 38 of the Interim Constitution says one needs his/her party’s recommendation to obtain cabinet appointment.
Gachchhadar has, however, maintained that he joined the cabinet as per recommendation of the political committee and the parliamentary party. The political committee is equivalent to the Politburo. Of ten committee members, six supported Gachchhadar joining the government. But Yadav expelled all aforementioned committee members on Friday.
In the meantime, speaking at a face-to-face program organized by the Reporter´s Club in the capital on Sunday afternoon, Yadav also stressed the need for an all-party national government.
"Forming a government may be possible by securing the support of 304 to 305 (Parliament) members, but it will not help solve the burning issues the country is facing," Yadav said.
When asked about possible withdrawal of the action against seven leaders, including Gachchhadar, he said, “Gachchhadar should prepare a basis for that (reconciliation).
He left soon as he finished his address, without fielding any questions from the media.
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