‘IF PM OLI CANNOT AMEND CONSTITUTION, ANOTHER PRIME MINISTER WILL’

‘MERGER WITH SAMAJWADI PARTY IN NEAR FUTURE IS NOT ON CARDS’

Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Lal Babu Pandit is no position to continue his position as minister, said Rastriya Janata Party Nepal leader Raj Kishor Yadav.

Minister Pandit has been facing criticism after the Public Service Commission (PSC) announced vacancy on May 29 for the recruitment of 9,161 staffers at various positions in 515 local governments, which the lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties and Province 2 government has slammed saying it is against the spirit of the constitution and the principles of inclusive representation of all communities and genders in the local bodies. They have also said that the vacancy announcement breaches the rights of the provincial PSCs to recruit staffers at local units.

“If we review the decisions taken by the government, many of them have breached the spirit of the constitution,” said Yadav during a television interview Janata Janna Chahanchan broadcast on Prime Times television.

“The vacancy announcement by the PSC is a direct challenge to constitution. And Minister Pandit is the defending the vacancy announcement,” he added.

Following the pressure from lawmakers and Province 2 government, the State Affairs Committee of the parliament directed the government and the constitution body to cancel the vacancy announcement concluding that it was against the constitution.

However, Minister Pandit defended the vacancy advertisement saying it was completely in line with the constitution and was announced as per the operating Civil Servants Adjustment Act.

“The Federal Civil Servants Act is still under consideration at the Parliamentary State Affairs and Good Governance Committee. The parliament, after holding a rigorous discussion in the committee, approved the Civil Servants Adjustment Act—which states that after the adjustment process, the vacant positions, if demanded by the local and provincial bodies, will be sent to Federal PSC through the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration without any modification until the formation of Provincial Public Service Commission,” Minister Pandit said in a television interview earlier this month.

“Since the PSC cannot announce the vacancy based on the under-consideration Act, the constitutional body has to announce the vacancy as per the operating Act. The federal PSC, as sent by the government, announced the vacancy in line with the constitution,” Pandit had insisted.

But, Yadav said that the minister has no right to challenge the direction of the State Affairs Committee.

“Minister Pandit did a mistake challenging the order of State Affairs Committee.”

“Who is he? He is just a minister. But the State Affairs Committee is a mini parliament. I think Pandit has lost his mind,” he fumed.

“One of the reasons behind Oli government’s unpopularity is Minister Pandit. In fact, he has no knowledge of the Constitution of Nepal.”

“Therefore, he should be sacked immediately. Pandit has no moral ground to continue his post as minister.”

Yadav also said that Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli should heed the demands of the Madheshi people and take steps for the amendment of the constitution as promised.

“If he cannot amend the constitution, another prime minister will do it,” he said.

On March 6, the RJPN terming the government unsuccessful in matters pertaining to constitution amendment, failure to withdraw ‘false’ charges against those arrested during the Madhesh and Tharuhat movement and check corruption, withdrew its support given to the government.

When argued the Oli government has two-third majority and is strong, Yadav replied, “His strength was seen a few days ago.”

“Did not the Maitighar Mandala demonstration shake the Singhadurbar?”

Following the introduction of controversial Guthi Bill, thousands of protesters had gathered at Mandala–biggest demonstration after 2006 People’s Movement– demanding the withdrawal and cancellation of the Guthi Bill. The government on Tuesday officially withdrew the bill registered at the National Assembly.

“What he calls is the power of the parliament and the power of people.

‘If PM Oli is reluctant to heed the concerns of people, he does not have a future,” he said.

Yadav also expressed dissatisfaction toward the government’s failure to check corruption, maintain peace and security, good governance and structural transformation.

“Instead the government has tried to attack the culture and tradition, restrict press freedom and expression and control media,” he said.

Yadav also clarified that the possibility of merger between RJPN and recently formed Samajwadi Party (after the merger between Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Upendra Yadav led Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and Dr Baburam Bhattarai led Naya Shakti Party) is low.

“We are holding informal discussions with Samjwadi Party. We are always open to unite with the parties with similar political background and agenda. But, merger with Samajwadi Party is not on the cards in near future,” he said.

RJPN has put forth a condition that merger with Samajwadi is possible only after Upendra Yadav sever ties with the government.

Related Coverage:

Vacancy announcement in line with constitution: Minister Pandit (With Video)

KATHMANDU, April 26: Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) leader Raj Kishor Yadav has said that corruption and development cannot go together.

Talking to Rishi Dhamala at a radio program Nepali Bahas on Friday, Yadav accused the government of protecting the corrupts in the country and added, “If the country is to be developed and prosper, the government should eliminate corruption from its room.

“The government is protecting the masterminds behind illegally privatizing the 114 ropanies of lands of Lalita Niwas, which was nationalized in 1964,” he said.

Yadav also said that RJPN is discussing to hold its first general convention as soon as possible.

The party was supposed to hold the general convention in the last week of April. However, it was deferred citing lack of sufficient preparations.

KATHMANDU, April 15: Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) presidium member Raj Kishor Yadav said that his party will join force with the political parties having similar principles in their struggle against the government.

Speaking at an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Monday, Yadav, also the former minister, said, “We continued supporting the government for a year. But, the we withdrew our support after the ruling Nepal Communist Party kept ignoring our demands.”

The disgruntled Madhes-based regional party in March officially withdrew its support given to the government days after their lawmaker Resham Lal Chaudhary, the main suspect of 2015 Tikapur massacre, was slapped with 10 years of imprisonment.  The party accused he government of failing to address their demands as per the agreement including constitution amendment, not releasing those arrested during Madhes and Tharuhat agitation, not withdrawing cases filed in courts against them and not helping them with medical treatment.

Asserting that the government has weakened the federal system, Yadav accused the ruling party working seriously to maintain peace, good governance and prosperity in the country despite commanding two-third majority in the House.

“The government must do homework to make people realize that they are doing a lot to make difference in people’s lives,” he said.

“Instead, the government is doing the opposite. They become aggressive toward the people and the party who put forth different opinion.”

“We are being united to pressure the government and make them aware of their current activities. We will join force with the parties carrying similar principle to make our struggle against the government result-oriented.”

He also shared that his party is fully busy preparing for the upcoming general convention.

LAHAN, Nov 20: When the election fever has reached its climax in the country on the eve of the House of Representatives and Province Assemblies elections going to be held in two rounds, two former ministers are likely to see a tight competition in the Siraha constituency no 4.

Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) presidium member and former minister Raj Kishor Yadav and CPN (Maoist Center) leader and former Minister Ajay Shankar Nayak (candidate from the leftist alliance) are likely to be in a tough race for a seat in the House of Representatives. Both elections are taking place in Siraha on December 7 in the second phase.

Nepali Congress leader and erstwhile lawmaker Mohamad Mokhtar Ahamad has been taken as the strong candidate for the election along with two ex-ministers.

Leader Nayak is known as a good administrator within the party and is a popular face among the locals while the candidacy from the Madesh-centric party cannot be underrated in the Tarai/ Madhes district.

Former Minister Nayak said he was fully confident of his victory in the election. “I have been with the people since the past and I am sure that voters here will send me to the House of Representatives,” he said.

RJPN candidate Yadav is expected to be his top rival. Yadav may have the maximum support from the Yadav community which resides densely in the southern part of the constituency. Besides, the (positive) impact of the Madhes movement here may help him in the election. However, voices from some sections of people are being heard that it would be a really tough for Yadav to win the election in this Communist stronghold region.

Yadav who had begun his active political career amidst the Madhes movement believe that he has a strong base for winning the election. “Siraha is the place of origin of the Madesh movement and my politics is dedicated to the Madhes and Madhesi people and I am fully confident that people here will elect me as their representative to the centre,” he said.

Similarly, NC candidate Ahamad who establishes his identity as the straightforward and honest leader claimed that the election results would come in his favor.

However, local intellectuals are seeing a tough competition among three leaders in this constituency characterized by a mixed society of hilly people, Dalit, Yadav and Muslim communities. They viewed that it would be premature prediction to talk about the victory of a specific candidate and we have to wait for the election results. The constituency covering five out of 17 local levels in the district has 81,302 voters (38,106 female and 43,196 male), according to the data of the District Election Office, Siraha.

JANAKPURDHAM, June 15: Member of Presidium of Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal, Raj Kishor Yadav, has blamed that the decision of the government of holding the local-level election of province no 2 on September 18 was the conspiracy to disintegrate the Madhes.

At a news conference organized on Friday, Yadav said, “The RJP-Nepal has not signed any agreement with the government regarding the election.”

Saying although they are not against the election, they would not participate in the election until their demands are addressed, he expressed the view that struggle for civilization and identity should not be measured on the basis of population.

Yadav said that today’s meeting of the RJP-Nepal would make decision to take the agitation in a systematic way, blaming the ruling parties for hatching conspiracies to make issues of Madhes weak time and again and to put it under the shadow. RSS