Thousands demand Oli’s ouster

KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 29

Tens of thousands of supporters of a splinter group in the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal rallied in the capital today demanding the prime minister’s ouster and reinstatement of the House of Representatives he dissolved amid an escalating party feud.

The protesters chanted slogans against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli while they marched peacefully in the centre of Kathmandu as thousands of riot police kept close watch.

Supporters of the Dahal-Nepal faction of the NCP converged on Bhrikuti Mandap after taking out rallies in Koteshwor, Chabahil, Balaju, Teku, Lagankhel, Tripureshwor, Maitighar, Thamel, New Baneshwor, Kupondol, Lainchaur, Naxal, Bagbazar, and Ratnapark.

The gathering was addressed by Dahal, Nepal, and other senior leaders of the party, including Jhalanath Khanal.

Addressing the gathering, the party’s Co-chair Dahal said Oli’s decision to dissolve the HoR was an attack on achievements of the people’s movements — democracy, secularism, and federalism.

He said the PM and the president had no right to trample on the constitution that was drafted by the Constituent Assembly.

Dahal claimed that elections were not possible on the dates announced by the government. He said even if elections were held, it would establish a bad precedent, giving future prime ministers the right to dissolve the House whenever they wished, affecting the stability of any future government.

Nepal, who is also the cochair of the Dahal-Nepal faction of the Nepal Communist Party, also flayed the prime minister for his ‘unconstitutional move’.

He compared Oli to the former king who had also dissolved the Parliament and usurped power. “Time has come to oust Oli,” Nepal said.

Senior leader of the party Jhalanath Khanal also criticised Oli’s action as unconstitutional.

“Oli has wasted three years in power. His actions as PM did not match his electoral promises.”

Participants in the rally, meanwhile, said they would hold larger protests if the HoR wasn’t reinstated.

Several petitions have also been filed in the Supreme Court against the prime minister’s action.

“We are protesting the unconstitutional move by the prime minister and we will continue to protest until Parliament is reinstated,” said Laxman Lamsal, a provincial assembly member.

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari dissolved the HoR on December 20 on the recommendation of the prime minister and announced new elections would be held on April 30 and May 10.

Oli became prime minister after his Nepal Communist Party won elections three years ago. Oli’s party and the party of former Maoists had merged to form a unified Communist party.

Tensions, however, have grown between Oli and the leader of the former Maoists, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is also co-chair of the party.

The two had previously agreed that they would split the five-year prime minister’s term between them, but Oli has refused to allow Dahal to take over.

The opposition has also accused Oli’s government of corruption and his administration has faced criticism over its handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

Oli also has been accused of moving closer to China and drifting away from Nepal’s traditional partner, India, since taking power.

 

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