KATHMANDU, JULY 19
Keshav Kumar Budhathoki, central member of Nepali Congress, questioned the authenticity of the appointment of Uddhav Thapa as chief minister of Koshi Province.
He said election of chief minister with the speaker's support is against the spirit of the Constitution.
During today's session of the NC CWC meeting, he questioned the process of Uddhav Thapa's appointment asking, "How can the speaker go against the constitution and vote? How can we be silent over such a serious violation of the constitution? Is this how Congress is going to be in power now?"
Recently, Congress Parliamentary Party leader Thapa was appointed chief minister of Koshi Province with the support of Speaker Baburam Gautam. However, in the writ filed against his appointment by the opposition CPN-UML, the Supreme Court issued an interim order to the Thapa-led government not to take decisions having long-term impact.
The CPN-UML has demanded immediate dismissal of the Koshi government and the commencement of a fresh process for formation of a new government.
A CPN-UML Secretariat meeting on July 15 passed a resolution condemning the role of ruling parties and speaker of Koshi Province Assembly in the formation of the new government under Udhhav Thapa, who represents the Nepali Congress in the Province Assembly.
According to the UML, it is accepted practice in Nepal and elsewhere that the speaker remains neutral and does not take sides during formation of the government.
The major opposition party said the ruling alliance had infringed the constitution, interfered in constitutional bodies rendering them ineffective, and weakened democracy.
The UML said formation of the new government in Koshi province with the signature of the speaker of Koshi PA was a blatant violation of the constitution, the norms of parliamentary democracy and checks and balances.
In the 93-strong Koshi PA, there were 40 UML members and six Rastriya Prajatantra Party members on one side. The remaining 46 provincial lawmakers from the NC and the CPN-Maoist Centre had supported Thapa.
Since 47 votes are required for majority in the PA, Speaker of Koshi Province Baburam Gautam had supported Thapa as chief minister.
Budhathoki expressed displeasure saying this was not made an agenda in the party meeting and the leaders also did not discuss it.
"Why are we not discussing it? Should we accept the chief minister or not, or should we accept that it is not according to the constitution?" What should we do now?" Budhathoki asked.
Directing his question to general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma, Joint General Secretary Bhishma Raj Angdambe and NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba, he asked, "Honourable supremos, should we accept him as chief minister or not?"
"Where is the one who formulated the constitution, Krishna Prasad Sitaula? His close confidant is sitting on the CM's throne in Koshi against the same constitution you promulgated. What should we do now, our former general secretary?" He questioned.
Budhathoki also raised the issue of nomenclature of Koshi Province in the ongoing Central Working Committee meeting of the NC.
"There is huge distress and dispute in the province regarding its nomenclature. Why has NC not been showing its presence there to bring such issues forth," he questioned.
"The name Koshi has been imposed on us by CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli. We should not fall for it. We are not able to face the people of Koshi. When are we going to take this seriously?"
Budathoki said that Congress had zipped its voice on such a serious issue. "The Kirants are having a tough time coping with a name that goes against their identity. They have merely demanding a name that reflects their identity in accordance with the constitution.Therefore, I request the NC to give space to the identity issue by negotiating with the agitators and addressing their demands. Or else it should not take part in the upcoming election as it is not going to get a good position there."
A version of this article appears in the print on July 20, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
