KATHMANDU, MAY 4

The CPN-Maoist Centre today decided to withdraw support to the KP Sharma Oli-led government.

According to CPN-MC standing committee member Lilamani Pokharel, a meeting of the party's standing committee held here today decided to withdraw support to the government. The party will write to the Parliament Secretariat tomorrow informing it of its decision.

After the Supreme Court nullified the unification of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) on March 7, the CPN- UML and CPN-MC were revived and have been acting as two separate and political parties.

This is the first time that the CPN- MC has stated its position on supporting the government unequivocally.

Oli has called a special session of the House of Representatives on May 10 to seek a vote of confidence as per Article 100 (1) of the constitution.

CPN-MC Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha told mediapersons after the standing committee meeting that Oli's intention of calling the special session of the HoR to seek a vote of confidence at a time when the government was bound to call the budget session leaves room for doubt. 'Political parties and democratic forces should guard against the PM's wrong intention,' Shrestha said.

He said the PM had a constitutional obligation to seek a vote of confidence within a month of the SC verdict on the nullification of the unification of the NCP, but he did not do so and when he was supposed to call the regular session of the Parliament, he called a special session to seek a vote of confidence. He said his decision to call the special session of the HoR was against the spirit of the constitution.

Shrestha said there were still chances of forming an alternative government and his party would hold talks with other parties about it.

Shrestha also condemned the re-formation of provincial government under Shankar Pokhrel, saying the Pokhrel government was illegal.

The CPN-MC and the Nepali Congress have been saying that Pokhrel was is in minority, yet a new government was formed under him. He said the Oli government's steps in the central and provincial governments were regressive.

Meanwhile, an office bearers' meeting of the Nepali Congress today decided to ensure that the PM failed the floor test. NC Joint General Secretary Prakash Sharan Mahat said there was no reason for his party to support the Oli government, which had been violating the constitution and had failed to control the pandemic.

He said the government today issued new ordinances proving that it was evading the regular session of the Parliament. In response to a query, Mahat said his party would also hold talks with other parties to ensure that the government failed the floor test.

A version of this article appears in the print on May 5, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.