KATHMANDU, July 5: The embattled Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday held discussions with the leaders who are supporting him.
Prime Minister Dahal, who has already fallen in the minority, called top leaders of coalition partners after Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML forged an alliance to form a new government. Prime Minister Dahal informed them that he will firmly address the vote of no-confidence motion in the House, according to the leaders.
CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Nepal, respected leader Jhalnath Khanal, RSP President Rabi Lamichhane, Janamat Party Chairman CK Raut and Nagarik Unmukti Party leader Ranjita Shrestha participated in the meeting.
Talking to the media after the meeting, Unified Socialist Chairman Nepal said that the issue of how to move forward in the aftermath of the NC-UML alliance was discussed during the meeting. He said, "We will not join the new alliance. It has no sacred purpose. That's why we support this government when it takes a vote of confidence."
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Similarly, another leader, Khanal, said that there is a danger that the alliance of NC and UML will drive the country towards a regressive course. "The prime minister has said that he will face the vote of confidence. We have said that we support him," he told media persons.
After the agreement with the NC, the UML quit the government, leaving the Dahal-led government in the minority. Rejecting the suggestion made by both NC and the UML to step down voluntarily to pave the way for the formation of a new government, Prime Minister Dahal sent a letter to the Parliament Secretariat requesting arrangements to take the vote of confidence on July 12.
In the 275-member House of Representatives, the NC-UML coalition will get 167 seats. Even if all parties participating in the meeting agree, there is no basis for Dahal to get a vote of confidence to prolong his stay in power.
The UML withdrew its support to the government on July 3, and eight ministers representing the UML resigned from their positions en masse.
The decision of Prime Minister Dahal to test the floor in parliament comes after the UML informed the Federal Parliament Secretariat about the withdrawal of its support to the government and assumption of the role of an opposition party in parliament.
This development followed after the NC and UML agreed to forge a new alliance on July 1 to form a government led by UML Chairman K P Oli. Among other things, they have also agreed to bring constitutional amendments.
PM Dahal, who has fallen into minority, said that he will face parliament instead of resigning from his post.
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