Legislature-Parliament meeting begins, top three address House

KATHMANDU: The Legislature-Parliament meeting has begun at 1:30 pm on Tuesday after the three major parties forged consensus on ending continued House obstruction by the CPN-UML and elect new Prime Minister yesterday.

Top leaders of major parties, CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli, CPN Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba would be addressing the meeting in the first session of the House.

Addressing the Parliament, main-opposition party Chair Oli warned that the elections in all three levels—local, provincial and federal—must be held before January 21, or else the country would face major problems.

The main-opposition party Chairman further accused the ruling parties of filing an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Sushila Karki when she had only one-month tenure left.

Expressing his strong disagreement on the 'pre-planned' tearing of ballot papers in Bharatpur-19, Oli further questioned the motive of CPN Maoist and explanations given by the Election Commission on the issue.

After Oli, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, addressing the House told that his party would not compromise with any forces and anybody for national sovereignty.

He said that nationalism, democracy and socialism are the principles of his party and the NC would not step back from these principles.

Deuba, who is going to be elected a new Prime Minister, also pledged that he would hold three-tiers of elections by January 21 next year, which he said is necessary for the implementation of the Constitution.

He also thanked  outgoing Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal  and said that he would carry out the remaining tasks initiated by Dahal's government.

Addressing the House after Deuba,  CPN Maoist Centre Chairman and the outgoing Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that he has resigned to usher new political culture of upholding morality.

Saying that because of the repeated mention of the Bharatpur incident of tearing of ballot paper by the main opposition party leader Oli, PM said the incident was wrong, adding the incident should not be raised as an attack on democracy. He also acknowledged that Renu Dahal is his daughter and he has suggested her that she should accept the results of the poll.

He also mentioned that the poll results in Bharatpur will be more transparent as the case is sub judice at the Supreme Court and the nation is watching the developments over there.

The prime minister also talked about the past challenges and the bold decision taken by him, saying, he has taken the steps realising the requirement of national unity among political parties in the nation.

However, he also criticised Oli for the statements made by the latter while addressing the House.