Nepal

Baburam Bhattarai bats for directly-elected president

Baburam Bhattarai bats for directly-elected president

By Himalayan News Service

Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai delivering his speech during the launch of much-hyped New Force (Naya Shakti) in Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu on Sunday, November 22, 2015. Photo: Skanda Gautam/ THT

Jhapa, August 6 Naya Sakti Nepal Coordinator Baburam Bhattarai today said the country should get rid of the existing parliamentary system and go for a directly-elected presidential system for stability and prosperity. Speaking at a press meet organised by Press Club at Jhapa’s Birtamode, Bhattari said, “Economic prosperity of the country is not possible as long as the parliamentary system of government exists.” He added that a directly-elected president would have five years to work and select ministers on his/her own, giving stability and good governance to the nation. “Anarchy and instability will cease to exist in the presidential system of government,” he argued. Bhattarai, who is also a former prime minister, reiterated that the country had no alternative but to adopt presidential form of governance so as to end the practice of making and unmaking the government. “Frequent change of government has hurt the nation’s economy. It is high time we ended this practice,” said Bhattarai. Stating that the newly promulgated statute was not complete, Bhattarai argued that he had accepted the new constitution only to institutionalise republicanism. Bhattarai said the CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had taken credit for his agendas. “Secularism, republicanism, federalism and inclusive democracy are my agendas. Dahal took the credit for these agendas,” he said.