Senior leader of the Nepali Congress (NC) Sher Bahadur Deuba termed the remark “extremely unconstitutional and undemocratic”. “The remark of the prime minister is extremely unconstitutional and undemocratic,” Deuba told media persons after the 16th round of prime ministerial voting in Baneshwar, Thursday afternoon. “I condemn this.”[break]
Asked if they would seek any clarification over the remarks of prime minister, Deuba said, “Clarification need to be sought from him.”
During the three-party meeting held on Wednesday at the Office of Prime Minister in Singha Durbar, PM Nepal out of frustration over the parties´ failure to end the deadlock reportedly said that he would hand over all executive powers to the president.
His remarks come at a time when a severe financial crisis seems imminent owing to the Maoists´ stiff opposition to the government´s preparation to table full budget in parliament. Financial experts have warned of a severe financial crisis should the government fail to pass the budget by mid-November.
Similarly, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal termed the remarks of Prime Minister Nepal ´unwarranted´. “He should not have made such remarks just ahead of the scheduled meeting among the parties. It does not hold any meaning,” he said.
Political parties are scheduled to hold secret dialogues during Tihar festival in a bid to end the current political deadlock.
NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel said they are against handing over executive powers either to the president or the speaker.
“We need to safeguard the constitution and [democratic] the system and resolve the problems through consensus,” he said. “All I want to say is that we need to move ahead in a manner prescribed by the constitution.”
CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal, who was also present in the meeting, however, said that he did not hear the prime minister making such remarks at the meeting. “Our party cannot even imagine of handing over executive powers to the president,” he said.
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