CPN (MC)'s central committee asks its ministers in Oli-led govt to resign en-masse

KATHMANDU, March 14: A central committee meeting of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) on Sunday asked its ministers in the federal government including Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Energy Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi to resign en masse for breaching party discipline.

This is the second time the CPN (MC) instructed its ministers in the federal government to resign from their posts.

Earlier on Saturday, the party decided to recall its ministers and directed them to make their positions clear within 24 hours. However, all ministers belonging to the CPN (MC) including Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Energy Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi seem non-committal to the party's decision as of now.

As the ministers belonging to the party are seen reluctant to tender their resignations, the party will now write to them in person to do so, according to Ganesh Shah, a central committee member of the CPN (MC).

Today's meeting also discussed taking action against its cabinet ministers in the federal government, according to party leaders.

Earlier on Saturday, an emergency standing committee meeting of the party decided to recall its ministers in the federal government including Home Minister Ram Thapa and Energy Minister Rayamajhi for breaching party discipline.

The meeting directed its leaders nominated as central committee members of the CPN (UML) to make their positions clear within 24 hours.

Industry Minister Lekhraj Bhatta, Urban Development Minister Prabhu Sah and Labor Minister Gaurishankar Chaudhari are parliamentarians belonging to the CPN (MC), while Water Supply Minister Mani Thapa and Youth Minister Dawa Lama are central leaders of the party.

The CPN (MC)'s statute states that parliamentarians will lose their seats in the National Assembly and the House of Representatives if they choose to quit the party or their party decides to expel them from the party.

Today's meeting ran for around four hours at Parisdanda, the party headquarters, in Kathmandu.

During today's meeting, province in-charges of the party briefed the party leadership on various activities related to their party's provincial committees.

Party in-charges -- Sabitri Bhusal (Province 1), Biswanath Shah (Province 2), Narayan Dahal (Bagmati Province), Hitraj Pandey (Gandaki Province), Onsari Gharti (Lumbini Province), Maya Sharma (Karnali Province) and Nepbahadur Chaudhari (Sudur Paschim Province) delivered their remarks on Sunday, spokesperson for the party, Narayankaji Shrestha said.