HETAUDA, DECEMBER 9

CPN-UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai accused the government of taking the Parliament hostage and keeping the judiciary under its thumb.

"You can see what is happening in the so-called free judiciary and what the plight of the Parliament is today.

This is all because of the present government," he said at a press conference organised by Press Chautari Nepal Makawanpur, in Hetauda today.

He said his party was focused on elections. "Given the country's situation, it's imperative to go to polls as early as possible for a fresh mandate," he argued, expressing confidence that his party would emerge stronger from the upcoming elections.

He observed that the country had only two political parties - UML and Nepali Congress - and then went on to disparage the major ruling coalition partner calling it a party with no future. "Congress has a long history but no vision or ideology," he said scoffing at the comments made by the NC regarding his party's national convention.

"It was unnecessary for other parties to comment on the convention of some other party," Bhattarai said, accusing the coalition government of destroying all organs of the state in just 4 to 5 months.

When asked who would be UML's ally for the elections, he said his party didn't need any electoral alliance. "The 5-party coalition won't last long, it's only CPN-MC and Unified Socialists (CPN-Unified Socialists) who want to be in coalition, and desperately at that, not NC," he said.

A version of this article appears in the print on December 10, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.