KATHMANDU, MARCH 25
Prime Minister and Chair of CPN-Maoist Centre Pushpa Kamal Dahal today briefed his party office bearers' meeting that some forces were trying to scuttle the Truth and Reconciliation bill under consideration of the House of Representatives to keep the transitional justice issue as the sword of Damocles dangling over the CPN-MC.
CPN-MC leader Lilamani Pokharel said the PM briefed party leaders about the current political issues, including the government's focus on getting the TRC bill passed by the Parliament soon. Pokharel said party leaders were briefed by the chief whips of the parties in the HoR that Speaker Devraj Ghimire's role in convening House of Representatives' meeting was not positive.
"Ghimire, who was supposed to convene House meetings in consultation with the government, is neither consulting the government, nor convening party meetings at short intervals,"
Pokharel said and added that Ghimire was convening HoR meetings after long gaps, which could adversely impact House business.
Pokharel said that chances of Ghimire following the diktat of CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli were high. The current 10-party ruling alliance, particularly the prime minister, can expect hostile role from the UML in the HoR since UML blames the PM for not getting its candidate for president elected as per the agreement between the UML and CPN-MC on December 25.
Pokharel said his party would prepare strategies after consulting other partners of the alliance to foil the attempts of opponents, and ensure passage of the TRC bill and other crucial bills.
CPN-MC leader Devendra Paudel told mediapersons after the meeting that the PM would expand his Cabinet in the next two days. Top leaders of the alliance partners have told the PM to prepare the allocation of portfolios to the parties, which they would okay, he said.
Paudel said the PM could prepare the list tomorrow and after getting the approval of alliance partners he could expand his cabinet by Monday.
He said his party leaders also discussed ways to effectively run the HoR.
Paudel also said party leaders discussed coordination between the government and the party. CPN-MC leaders also discussed promoting coordination between the federal and provincial governments.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 26, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
