Rawal accuses NC-Maoist of fixing deal in Delhi against govt

KATHMANDU: A senior member of the incumbent KP Sharma Oli-led Cabinet on Monday accused the Nepali Congress and the CPN Maoist Centre of striking the deal to topple the Oli government in New Delhi of India.

Deputy Prime Minister and CPN-UML Vice-Chairman Bhim Rawal told journalists at the Reporters' Club Nepal in the Capital that the government thus would face the no-confidence motion they filed against it.

He went on to claim that the Maoist party acted under foreign influence when it resorted to no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister. It was ridiculous to see the former coalition ally that agreed to the government policy and programme and the budget filing the no-confidence motion, according to him.

Refuting the Maoist claim that the UML breached the past agreement, Rawal instead accused the NC and the CPN MC of going against the deal as major parties had agreed that there should a single government till the first parliamentary elections to be held in accordance with the new Constitution.

"The CPN-UML is in favour of consensus," he stressed, "it has not deviated from it; neither will it in the future."

Rawal went on to say that parties did not include provision to form a new government in the Article 298 of Transitional Provisions as they had realised the need of stability of the government.

"Those who do not want to see stability in the nation have been interpreting the Constitution in the way they want," he said, "But, [the government] cannot be formed as per Article 298 of the Constitution.

Rawal, however, maintained that his party did not have any intention to prolong the caretaker government. That is why the government is mulling over various options in consultation with stakeholders and legal experts, he claimed.

Rawal also warned that the UML party may obstruct the House proceedings scheduled for Thursday if the Speaker would not hold discussions on three budget bills before the no-confidence vote.