‘OLI DOING MISTAKE ASSIGNING SWEEPING POWERS TO PMO’

KATHMANDU,  April 29: Nepali Congress (NC) leader Dr Shekhar Koirala has said that party president Sher Bahadur Dueba should step down from party leadership arguing that the party–which bore an unexpected loss in the November 26 and December 7 House of Representatives and Province Assembly election–can be revived with the help of new leadership.

He further said that it was the irresponsibility of party president Deuba not to even accept that the party loss the elections due to leadership weakness.

“Deuba neither takes the responsibility of party’s election loss nor he is ready to hand over the party leadership—which is not acceptable to us,” Koirala vented ire while taking to Rishi Dhamala at a program ‘Dhamala ko Hamala’ on Sunday.

“Deuba must step down,” he reiterated adding, “If he hands over the leadership role to new generation, Nepali Congress can be totally revived within five years.”

Nepali Congress, which was the largest party before polls, was able to secure only 23 seats under the first-past-the-post category. CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) who dramatically announced alliance on the eve of the elections, swept the elections winning 116 seats (UML 80 and Maoist Center 36).

On a different note, Dr Koirala accused Prime Minister K P Sharma of trying to bring totalitarianism in the country and added that the prime minister would never success in his mission.

“The government’s activities do not resemble democratic character. It is true that prime minister becomes the most powerful in a parliamentary system, but the way Prime Minister Oli is assigning sweeping powers to his office, is totally wrong,” he said.

“He is a big mistake of the prime minister to bring the National Investigation Department under the purview of the Office of Prime Minister,” he added.

The government, in the first week of March, had brought the major departments– National Investigation Department, the Department of Revenue Investigation and the Department of Money Laundering Investigation, which were under various ministries earlier, under the PMO.

“Prime Minister Oli’s moves are pointing toward efforts of bring communism in the country,” he furthered.

KATHMANDU, Jan 14: Famous television talk show Dhamala ko Hamala witnessed some heated arguments and verbal fights between Nepali Congress leader and Minister Min Bishwokarma and CPN-UML leader Keshab Badal on Monday.

Journalist and Reporters’ Club Nepal President Rishi Dhamala had invited Bishwokarma, Badal and Federal Socialist Forum Nepal leader Rajendra Shrestha in his talk show to discuss about the ongoing political issues. The discussion started with debate about the delay on province chiefs and temporary province capitals.

As the discussion carried on, Bishwokarma said accused UML of forcing to provision single transferable voting system for the formation of National Assembly, which Badal refused to accept and blamed Bishwokarma of fabricating the story. Badal claimed nothing as such had happened in House. But Bishwokarma defended saying the House Speaker never allowed the ordinance be tabled in the House.

As the talk went on, Bishwokarma said that UML does not still have majority to form the government alone and Oli is becoming the next prime minister in support of its left alliance partner CPN (Maoist Center). He then added that UML is accusing Nepali Congress of trying to lengthen its tenure because UML itself is weak. Then Badal told Bishwokarma that UML is not weak but worried about people and democracy adding NC could stay in government as longer as it wants. But Bishwokarma interrupted Badal by telling ‘don’t talk like a village folk’—the very sentence Bishwokarma uttered triggered a heated verbal exchanges between the three leaders.

See video here.

KATHMANDU, Nov 27: Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chair Kamal Thapa said that restoration of constitutional monarchy, Hindu state, liberal economic policy and prosperous Nepal were the main ideological column of party.

Speaking at Dhamala ko Hamala, a popular television program, Thapa reiterated that these agendas were stated in detail in the party’s election manifesto.

“RPP has carried the agenda of constitutional monarchy since its establishment. Monarchy is not just a possibility but need of the country. It is our party aim to garner mandate for restoration of monarchy and Hindu state.” he said.

“An agenda of ‘democracy with King’ amiable to all the supporters of Republic and federalism will be a common menu,” he added.

He further said that he was faithful to the constitution of Nepal as he took an oath for the same, and added, “No article of the constitution is unchangeable. I am totally committed to people’s wish. People’s opinion matters the most.”

“But people’s panorama can change the county’s political structures. People’s perspective can change Republic,” he added.

He also showed objection that his party RPP was called anti-constitutional when advocating for monarchy and Sanatan Hindu State. “When other political parties demand a change in constitution, they say nothing. CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) are demanding for a change in parliamentary system. But when RPP talks about restoration of constitutional monarchy, why do they call us anti-constitutional?”

“We have been unnecessarily accused of going against constitution,” he added.