Dahal warns Deuba not to appoint governors

Published On: December 17, 2017 06:00 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Dec 17: Chairman of left alliance partner CPN (Maoist Center), Pushpa Kamal Dahal has warned Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba not to appoint governors of the provinces and make other appointments without political consensus. Former prime minister Dahal reached the official residence of the Prime Minister at Baluwatar Saturday morning in a bid to draw the government's attention towards this issue.

The left alliance, which secured a landslide victory in the recent parliamentary and provincial polls, has been claiming that the caretaker government doesn't have the mandate for making any political appointments without the alliance's consent. Dahal's warning has come at a time when the government is preparing to appoint governors of the seven provinces.

“Dahal drew the Prime Minister's attention towards not making any political appointment by his caretaker government. He also asked the prime minister to forge a political consensus to make urgent decisions,” reads a statement issued by Dahal's secretariat.

In response, Prime Minister Deuba urged Dahal to help forge consensus on National Assembly ordinance to pave the way for the election of the Upper House and appointment of his successor. President Bidya Bhandari has urged the government to forge consensus on the ordinance after the left alliance leaders expressed objected to the Single Transferable Voting system, putting the ordinance on hold.

“I am eagerly waiting to handover the government leadership to the parties with a fresh mandate. But as the president has not authenticated the National Assembly ordinance, the government formation could be delayed,” said Deuba's media expert Govinda Pariyar.

Prime Minister Deuba reiterated that the President doesn't have the right to put the ordinance on hold and also expressed displeasure against CPN-UML Chairman K P Oli “for pressurizing the president not to authenticate the ordinance.” Deuba assured Dahal of looking for a way out for political consensus on National Assembly election and government leadership handover, according to Pariyar.