I won't obstruct consensus govt: PM tells Prez

THT ONLINE

KATHMANDU: While his recent remarks that he will remain in the office until a new Constituent Assembly is elected through fresh polls is vexing oppositions hard, Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai on Wednesday has expressed his readiness before the president to to quit if consensus is forged among the political parties.

“I won’t obstruct consensus government,” he told President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav at the latter's office in Sheetal Niwas today morning. The prime minister had called on the president to brief the latter about his visit to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development of Rio+20, held from June 20-22. He had left for Brazil on June 18 and returned home on June 25.

The Office of the President issued a statement in the afternoon and said that the prime minister briefed him about the activities in the Rio de Janerio summit.

During the meeting, head of the state and the premier also discussed over the dogging political polarisation, which is deepening the political crisis and constitutional hurdles in the wake of the demise of CA on May 27.

"On the occasion, the two held discussion in the contemporary issues also," the statement said.

Upon his arrival from Brazil, Dr. Bhattarai, who is bearing the role of caretaker prime minister after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, had stated that he will continue as the prime minister till the fresh polls are conducted, only to rile the opposition parties.

For Bhattarai, the demands raised by the opposition for his resignation were irrational and childish.

A 21-member delegation led by Dr. Bhattarai had left for Brazil despite the objection from various quarters that the caretaker prime minister should not make foreign visits when the country is reeling under political uncertainty.