Kathmandu, August 10

CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has warned of political and constitutional vacuum if the country failed to hold a new general election by January 2018.

Claiming that the Dahal-led government wouldn’t hold local and parliamentary polls on time, Oli suspected an arrangement might be there to bring a chief justice or somebody else at the helm after January 2018 to fill such a vacuum.

“If the parliamentary elections don’t happen by January 2018, a serious political and constitutional vacuum will be created,” Oli said while addressing an interaction organised by Press Chautari at UML headquarters in Dhumbarahi today. “Such homework has already been initiated,” he added.

His government had announced elections of local bodies in November. The incumbent CPN-Maoist Centre and Nepali Congress coalition has said polls will be held next April and other provincial and parliamentary elections within one-and-a-half year. The former prime minister also rebuked the government’s decision withdrawing names of envoy-nominees just prior to their parliamentary hearing.

The government last week cancelled names of 14 designated envoys recommended by the erstwhile government in April.

“The government can recall and even sack ambassadors. But there is no provision of cancelling their scheduled hearing,” he said, adding, “Withdrawing their names is illegal, unconstitutional and non-political.”

Saying the UML is a responsible political force, Oli said his party wouldn’t indulge in politics of revenge or reactions.

The UML won’t be a hurdle towards revising or reviewing the constitution, if it is deemed necessary and purposeful. He, however, reiterated that his party wouldn’t sanction the unwarranted agreement that the CPN-Maoist Centre has signed with any external or internal forces, including Madhesi parties.

Oli also dubbed the decision to provide Rs 10 lakh to each family of those who were killed during the Madhes movement a farce. “My government had already provided Rs 10 lakh to the families of each and every person killed during the Madhes movement,” he said. “This government has engaged in a drama by repeating the decision.”

He also made it clear that his government had also paid the bills for treatment of those who were wounded during the movement.

Oli also said he would show the resources required to finance huge infrastructure projects that he had initiated, if Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal asks him to do so in writing.

Earlier, Dahal had told the Parliament that Oli had only distributed dreams of railways and motorways, but his government had fallen short of allocating the necessary budget for the same.

“My government used to be dubbed a provisional one, Oli said, but this (Dahal-led) is a ‘temporary government in writing’ as it has already agreed to step down after nine months.