Kathmandu, May 13: Speaker Devraj Ghimire today held discussions with major opposition Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Home Minister and President of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) on the eve of the schedule to unveil the government’s policies and programmes for the upcoming fiscal year.
During the meeting, the Speaker urged the major opposition party and the Home Minister to forge a consensus to end the ongoing parliament impasse before a joint sitting of both houses of the Federal Parliament to be addressed by President Ramchandra Paudel on May 14.
He urged the both parties for cooperation to operate the House bearing in mind the gravity of the joint sitting scheduled to take place on Tuesday. According to the Speaker, the Head of the State will be presenting the government’s policies ad programmes for the next fiscal year in the meeting and diplomats have been invited to it for an observation.
In response, Deuba said the NC has not demanded the resignation of the Home Minister over his alleged involvement in the misappropriation of cooperage funds. “Again it will not budge from its demand for forming a parliamentary committee to probe the matter.”
“Upcoming meetings of the parliament will run automatically if the situation arrives for forming the parliamentary committee,” he said. He said the government is not expected to overlook the voices of the opposition.
RSP President Lamichhane urged the Speaker to grant time to him to put his views in the House of Representatives meeting summoned to thank the President.
In response, the Speaker pledged to address his demand if situation permits.
Earlier today, the Speaker held meetings with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and National Assembly (NA) Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal on this matter. He is scheduled to have conversations on a telephone with CPN (UML) Chairperson KP Sharma Oli over the matter.
