Kathmandu, Dec. 20, 2019 : Chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said the support from the American government was acceptable only if the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) was not aligned with the Indo-Pacific Strategy.
While speaking at the NCP’s parliamentary party meeting, he reminded that the government had written to the government of India regarding the border dispute on Lipulk.
During the parliamentary party meeting held on Friday ahead of the winter session of the House, Dahal also instructed the party lawmakers to play effective role in the parliament.
On the occasion, the NCP parliamentarians also held discussions regarding the election of Speaker of the House of Representatives.
At the PP meeting, Deputy PP leader and former Speaker Subash Nembang proposed to elect Speaker and Deputy Speaker from different political parties and genders as per the constitution.
He proposed to hold the elections to pick the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives by asking Deputy Speaker Dr Shivamaya Tumbahangphe’s resignation from the post.
Meanwhile, NCP’s General Secretary Bishnu Poudel said that the party would take decision regarding the candidate once the process begins for the election to the Speaker.
Today’s meeting of the parliament has been postponed till December 27 without entering into any other agendas after reading out a letter received from the President’s Office and passing a condolence motion.
As the post of House Speaker is remaining vacant, Deputy Speaker Dr Tumbahamphe announced the beginning of the House session.
Parliament’s winter session begins- business on 27 bills
The winter session of the National Assembly, upper house of federal parliament, began on Friday. The parliament would conduct its business on a total of 27 bills- 10 registered at NA, 15 under consideration at committee, and two forwarded by the House of Representatives.
The Friday meeting of the NA witnessed the lawmakers from the ruling Nepal Communist Party supporting the government activities while those from the opposition Nepali Congress criticizing these.
With the beginning of the meeting, parliamentary party leader of NCP, Dinanath Sharma, reminded that passed four sessions of the parliament were of new experience.
The NA was fruitful to both ruling and the opposition, he said, claiming that the government had made headway to economic prosperity in recent two years. Even the public data in the international sphere showed it.
He however said some national pride projects had not accelerated. Rs 18 billion was saved for State coffer after the operation of modern pipeline to bring in petroleum products, according to him.
In the meeting, Nepali Congress parliamentary party leader Surendra Raj Pandey said the bill designed to amend and integrate laws on formation and operation of Nepal special service should be withdrawn and fit to constitution’s spirit.
He further argued that the process of forwarding through ordinance to amend the act on functioning of constitutional bodies was a wrong move. Pandey urged the government to create positive and harmonious environment to lead the nation on the way to prosperity.
Moreover, the government was urged to be pro-active to resolve the border issues as it was getting support from all parties. Lawmaker Pandey also opined for expediting the MCC to be supported by US for infrastructure development in the country.
He also condemned the government’s decision to lease out Nepal Trust’s land to Gokarana Resort while its earlier lease out due in six years.
Similarly, Rastriya Janata Party Nepal’s Brikhesh Chandra Lal viewed that collaboration between the ruling parties and the opposition parties for any good works be taken in the positive light and admitted that desired results could not be achieved in the sector of sustainable development works.
Socialist Party’s Pramila Kumari expressed her confidence that the agreement made between the government and her party concerning the amendment of the constitution would be materialized.
Expressing her confidence that the issues and agenda to be raised in the zero and special hours of the parliament would be properly addressed, she underscored the need to compulsorily include ‘Q and A’ session between the Minister and parliamentarians in the ongoing session.
In the meeting, NA Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timalsina had read out the letter received from the Office of President on appointments and reshuffle in Council of Ministers and distribution of role and responsibilities.
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