Chitwan, February 29

Nepal Communist Party (NCP) standing committee member and former finance minister Surendra Pandey today said the constitution barred party Vice-chair Bamdev Gautam from becoming minister even if he was nominated to the National Assembly.

Talking to mediapersons at Bharatpur airport, Pandey said, “A candidate defeated in the election of the House of Representatives cannot hold ministerial portfolio.” He added even Narayankaji Shrestha could not become a minister. Article 78 of the constitution states a person defeated in the polls of the House of Representatives will not be eligible to become minister within the tenure of that HoR, Pandey clarified.

He argued it was wrong for a person defeated in the polls to try to become minister as such practice would weaken democracy. “It is wrong to nominate a person who lost the polls in the NA. Bamdev Gautam needs to think over it,” he said.

Pandey said party had dissolved the taskforce formed to amend the statute to allow an NA member to become the prime minister. He said the latest dispute in NCP was close to settlement. “The dispute in the party will be solved shortly. I understand leaders are close to reaching an agreement,” he said.

Gautam will be nominated to the NA and PM Oli’s concerns too will be addressed, he added.