Government will get full shape in the next few days, says NC’s Lekhak

KATHMANDU, July 15: Ramesh Lekhak, central member of the Nepali Congress has said that the government would be expanded in the next few days.

Speaking during an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Saturday, he said, “The cabinet expansion was slowed due to local level elections. We will give full shape to the government within two or three days.”

“We are currently under discussion regarding the expansion of the government. We have almost finalized the allocation of ministries. The name of the ministers will be recommended soon,” added Lekhak.

He further said that the ruling parties are holding talks with the Rastriya Prajantra Party (RPP) and the Federalist Socialist Forum Nepal so as to persuade them to join the government.

Leader Lekhak also expressed his confidence that the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) will participate in the local level election in Province 2 slated for September 18.

“The RJPN registered at the Election Commission to participate in the upcoming election including election in Province 2,” he said.

“The government is making every effort to address the concerns of RJPN. But we are shy of some votes to garner two-third majority in favor of the constitution amendment bill hence stalling the bill at the parliament.”

The ruling parties say that they have 392 lawmakers on their side and are shy of three more votes in favor. Currently, the legislature-parliament has 592 members and the bill needs 395 lawmakers to endorse the amendment proposal.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties need 198 lawmakers to reject the bill. But, they only have 193 lawmakers, and need five more votes to fail the proposal.

The Nepali Congress has 207 lawmakers and the CPN (Maoist Center) has 81. The Speaker cannot cast the vote. The RPP has already decided that all 37 lawmakers of the party will vote for the bill. During the first week of May, the government failed to amend the constitution as 10 lawmakers of the RPP remained out of contact.

Likewise, Rastriya Janata Party has 24 lawmakers, The Nepal Democratic Forum has 16, Federal Socialist Forum Nepal has 15 and CPN- United has 3 lawmakers who are in favor of the bill.

Samajwadi Janata Dal, Tharuhat Party, Khumbuwan Rastriya Morcha, Janajagaran Party Nepal, Akhanda Nepal Party and Janata Dal who have one lawmaker each at the House all are in favor of the amendment.

On the contrary, the main opposition party CPN-UML has 180 lawmakers. The CPN-ML’s 5 lawmakers, the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party’s 4 lawmakers, Rastriya Janamorcha’s 3 and Bauddhik Janatantrik Parisad’s 1 lawmaker are against the proposal.