A meeting of the 16 opposition parties at CPN-UML´s head office concluded that the government´s decision had further pushed back the possibility of prospects of reaching an agreement among the major political forces.[break]
"The government that has already lost its constitutional, political as well as moral legitimacy unilaterally introduced the budget through ordinance even as we have been consistently saying that a national unity government should be formed to conduct new Constituent Assembly elections and the same government would introduce budget in consensus with the opposition," said the joint statement issued after the meeting. "Therefore, this meeting denounces the budget ordinance."
A meeting of opposition parties at UML party office. (Photo: Bijay Rai)
The opposition parties also described the government announcement to hold fresh elections in the coming spring ´nothing more than another eye-wash and a ploy to prolong its stay in power´. The agitating parties claimed that there was no ground to believe the government claim as the ruling coalition has already failed to hold elections on November 22, and that various political as well as constitutional factors have further complicated the situation.
"It is very clear that elections can´t be held in Baisakh [mid-April to mid-May] because the government made the announcement without laying any constitutional and legal grounds," said the statement. "Therefore, it is merely yet another conspiracy to prolong the government´s tenure."
President criticized at 16-party meet
Leaders from some fringe political parties criticized President Ram Baran Yadav for endorsing the budget ordinance forwarded by the caretaker government despite serious objections from the opposition parties.
Leaders from agitating opposition parties on November 9 had requested the president in writing to block the government´s plan to bring annual budget through ordinance without consent of opposition parties. The opposition parties had been sticking to their stance ever since.
Leaders from some small political parties described the president´s approval as unexpected and conspicuous move that took them by surprise. According to a leader present at the 16-party meeting, members from various small parties had a common concern, "Why did the president abruptly endorsed the budget ordinance even as he had been saying that he wouldn´t endorse it without political consensus in the absence of parliament."
Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, CPN-ML´s CP Mainali and Rastriya Janashakti Party´s Surya Bahadur Thapa had to pacify them. The top leaders suggested members from small parties to refrain from accusing the head of state though they said at the meeting that they had also reservation against the approval of the ordinance.
Koirala and Khanal made it clear that they were not informed about the latest developments. They said that they didn´t know why the president endorsed the ordinance despite opposition´s protests. "We are also in the dark," a leader quoted Khanal as saying.
CPN-UML Politburo member Raghuji Pant said that some leaders had enquired with the top leaders if the president had consulted and given prior information about the rapid development on budget ordinance. "The way the president easily endorsed the budget ordinance, it has come as a surprising development for opposition parties but the agitating parties would concentrate all their efforts in the protests because our main objective is to oust this government and to form national unity coalition," Pant quipped.
Govt lost its legitimacy
Meanwhile NC´s central working committee meeting on Wednesday concluded that the government had further lost its legitimacy by failing to conduct elections on November 22, the date announced by the same ruling coalition in last May.
The meeting called in a short notice vowed to concentrate all its efforts to intensify anti-government protests saying that the government move had further complicated the situation instead of solving the country´s financial crisis.
"This budget ordinance will have no contribution for the country except for serving the ruling parties´ interests because it is not brought in political understanding," said the NC´s statement issued after the meeting.
It said forming a consensus government to hold fresh elections has become imperative and said that only massive protests can compel the ruling coalition to agree on that.
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