KATHMANDU, APRIL 20

CPN-Maoist Centre, which has been spearheading efforts to topple the KP Sharma Oli-led government, held its standing committee meeting today but failed to decide whether to withdraw support to the government.

CPN-MC Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha told mediapersons today that the next meeting of the standing committee scheduled for tomorrow would again discuss withdrawal of support to the Oli government.

'We are not supporting the government, but we don't want to rush into writing a formal letter to the relevant body saying that we are withdrawing support to the government. We do not want to push the country into a situation where the prime minister announces fresh polls in a manner that can imperil the constitution and democracy without actually conducting elections,' he added.

The party termed the government's decision to prorogue the House of Representatives an arbitrary step.

Shrestha said that his party was of the view that political forces' first and foremost duty was to protect the hard earned political gains, including the constitution and democratic system. He said Oli was trying to make the country's independence a bargaining chip.

He said the party had decided to intensify talks with other parties to topple the Oli government and form the next government.

CPN-MC Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal told party leaders that the Oli government was acting against the mandate given by the people and claimed that the PM's activities were detrimental to the constitution and democracy. A version of this article appears in the print on April 21, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.