KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 20
Nepal Communist Party (NCP) faction led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is holding another mass gathering this afternoon in Biratnagar of Morang district.
The faction yet again claimed that approximately 200,000 people will join the assembly that is scheduled to be addressed by Prime Minister Oli, where he is expected to "inform" people about the dissolution of House of Representatives and calling of the mid-term polls.
The mass gathering will take place at an open ground near Birat Nursing Home. Rallies from various locations of the metropolitan city will converge into the gathering. Along with PM Oli, other leaders including Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Subas Chandra Nembang, and Chief Minister of Province 1 Sherdhan Rai are expected to address the assembly.
The faction held a similar mass gathering on February 13 in Butwal of Rupandehi district.
Earlier on February 5, supporters of PM Oli had organised a show-of-strength, wherein thousands of people had gathered in Kathmandu. Oli and other senior figures of the NCP group had addressed the gathering.
Similarly, in a bid to counter PM Oli's show-of-strength, rival Dahal-Nepal faction organised a mass-gathering at Bhrikutimandap in the capital on February 10. Today, cadres close to the dissenting Dahal-Nepal faction of the party started demonstrations against PM Oli on his arrival in Biratnagar.
On December 20, PM Oli recommended the House dissolution which was approved by President Bidya Devi Bhandari along with announcement of mid-term elections on April 30 and May 10.
The Dahal-Nepal faction, along with other political parties, civic society, and the general public have been protesting the PM's move calling it 'unconstitutional' and 'authoritative' ever since.
Meanwhile, a hearing on the HoR dissolution case -- against which multiple writ petitions have been filed -- is ongoing at the Constitutional bench of Nepal's Supreme Court. In its recent proceedings, all amici curiae except one pleaded before the bench that the Prime Minister acted beyond the scope of the constitution while dissolving the Lower House of federal parliament.
