"No one in the party is unhappy with PM Bhattarai´s statement. That Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is dissatisfied with the statement is just a rumor," Sharma, also education minister in the current government, said. [break]
Speaking at a program in Reporters Club in the capital, he said, the PM would not step down unless the alternative to the incumbent government is set up. "The prime minister will not resign inviting a further constitutional crisis and just because of street protests", Sharma said.
The president can only urge for consensus but not oust the PM since there is no such provision in the constitution, he argued. He also stressed that neither the PM nor party Chairman Dahal is against national consensus.
On the issue of army integration, Sharma said a meeting of the Special Committee on June 30 will expedite the integration process.
Addressing the same program, Nepali Congress (NC) leader Minendra Rijal said the country will continue to be in political turmoil unless PM Bhattarai resigns.
He also made it clear that the NC and UML will not participate in any of the Special Committee meetings called by a caretaker prime minister.
Rijal accused Bhattarai of trying to buy more time to remain in office. "Dahal and Bhattarai dissolved the Constituent Assembly in a planned manner to capture state power. They want to remain in power and if this continues, they will soon meet the fate of former king Gyanendra [Shah]" Rijal said.
NC is ready to give the alternative to this government, Rijal said. "It’s obvious to put forth party President Sushil Koirala´s name for the next prime minister. However, the party will decide about it soon," he added.
On the occasion, UML leader Bhim Rawal, echoing Rijal, said his party will not attend Special Committee meetings called by a caretaker prime minister.
Countering Sharma, Rawal said, "There is no provision in the constitution to oust the prime minister but at the same time there is no such provision as well to allow him to remain in the post."
"PM Bhattarai should resign immediately or the people will throw him out through street protests," Rawal concluded.
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