KATHMANDU, JUNE 5

The opposition alliance issued a joint statement condemning the Cabinet reshuffle done by KP Sharma Oli government.

PM Oli has made a mockery of constitutional and democratic values by reshuffling the Cabinet at a time when his move dissolving the House is sub judice in the Supreme Court. The five-party alliance said the government's announcement in the budget that it would allow export of river materials from Chure range could lead to desertification of the Tarai, and thus it was an anti-national and anti-people move. The alliance also condemned the government move to allow middlemen and racketeers to supply iodised salt.

They demanded that the government immediately announce a relief package for the poor and workers affected by the lockdown.

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, senior CPN- UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, Chair of CPN-Maoist Centre Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Co-chair of Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal Upendra Yadav and Vice-chair of Rastriya Janamorcha Durga Paudel have signed the statement.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 6, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.