By Our Reporter
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba garnered the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives by securing 165 votes on Sunday. He secured two/thirds majority of the lawmakers present during the meeting and over 60 per cent votes of the total lawmakers of the House of Representatives.
Only 83 votes went against him in the voting. Likewise, one voter remained neutral. Out of 271 members of the House, only 249 were present during the voting.
All lawmakers from the Nepali Congress, Maoist Centre, JanataSamajwadi Party-Nepal and RastriyaJanamorcha voted in favour of the motion while the majority of the CPN-UML lawmakers voted against the motion. But 22 UML lawmakers voted for the motion and 10 abstained while single lawmaker of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party remained neutral.
However, 10 lawmakers close to senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal left the parliament building before the voting began after the Mahantha Thakur-led faction of the Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal decided to vote in favour of the motion. Likewise, party vice-chairman Bhim Rawal resigned from the parliament hours before the voting began.
Announcing the result of the voting, Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota said, “I announce here that the confidence motion was endorsed by majority votes.”
Responding to the queries raised by party leaders, Prime Minister Deuba said that as the situation ahead was difficult, there was a need for unity among all political parties.
He also said that the formation of a national government was possible.
He said vaccinating all the Nepali people against COVID-19 was the priority of the government.
“I will give more priority to save citizens’ lives than to development activities,” he said.
Earlier tabling the vote of confidence, PM Deuba had urged all political parties to not think of each other as enemies and work together to achieve common goals. He made this appeal while seeking the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Deuba also clarified his choice to seek the parliament’s confidence. “As I am the Prime Minister appointed following Article 76 (5) of the Constitution of Nepal, I have presented myself to the House of Representatives to get the vote of confidence following Article 76 (6) of the Constitution,” he said, asking all members of the House of Representatives to vote in favour of him and his government.
Similarly, he also emphasised the need for political stability in the country and the role of the parliament in bringing it.
The Prime Minister reminded everyone that the drafting of the Constitution and the establishment of Nepal as a federal democratic republic were the results of the collective efforts of all the parties and expressed that these achievements could only be preserved through dialogue and mutual cooperation.
However, even three days after securing comfortable votes in the parliament, Prime Minister Deuba has been unable to expand his Cabinet as the alliance partners increased during the voting and all parties and leaders are exerting pressure on him to appoint their men in Cabinet.
While Nepali Congress, Maoist Centre, UpendraYadav-led JSP-N and the Madav Nepal faction of the UML were against the Oli-led government, the JSP-N led by Mahantha Thakur and eight lawmakers, including former minister Prem Ale, voted in favour of Deuba at the last hours increasing the aspirants of ministers. Although it is still unclear whether the Nepal faction of UML will join the government, more leaders in three other parties are lobbying for the ministerial berths.
Considering the growing pressure, Prime Minister Deuba and Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal held two rounds of meeting to discuss the issue relating to the expansion of the government. Dahal also held a meeting with UML leader Nepal and Upendra Yadav before holding a meeting with PM Deuba on Tuesday.
Is Deubba better than Oli?
By Our Reporter
With the ousting of KP Sharma Oli and the entry of Sher Bahadur Deuba in the Singh Durbar as new prime minister, the debate has begun whether Deuba will perform better than Oli.
It is because the records of PM Deuba during his four earlier innings are not good. He is blamed for inviting almost all anomalies in the parliamentary system. He introduced the Pajero culture by allowing lawmakers to purchase tax-free vehicles, the culture of sending lawmakers abroad during the no-confidence voting in the parliament and promoting horse-trading in the House. The Maoists launched the armed revolt during his premiership. Moreover, he is blamed for sabotaging the Constitution of 1990 by dissolving the parliament and returning the power to the palace in 2002. Likewise, he is accused of unnecessarily instigating impeachment against Chief Justice Shusila Karki.
However, he possesses democratic culture, which Oli lacked. Oli tried to rule with an iron fist, even ignoring the suggestions of the party leaders, which ultimately culminated in his fall. But Deuba tends to hold discussions before taking important decisions. Moreover, all parties and people believe that the elections held under Deuba’s leadership will be fairer than that by Oli, because Oli had almost captured the constitutional bodies, including the Election Commission by appointing his yes men. Also, Deuba may not surrender to India to save his chair as Oli did for the last nine months. Moreover, Deuba may not dare to violate the constitution as Oli did in the last seven months.
PM Deuba, Dahal hold talks in Baluwatar, Khumaltar
Prime Minister SherBahadurDeuba and Maoist Centre chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had two separate meetings on Tuesday. They had their first meeting at the PM’s Official Residence in Baluwatar in the afternoon and later at Dahal’s Khumaltar residence in the evening.
According to the secretariat of Prime Minister Deuba, the two leaders held a one-on-one meeting in Baluwatar.
Although both leaders did not reveal the issues they discussed, the meeting was believed to be centred on the expansion of the Cabinet, developing common programmes and pushing them forward, and the latest political development in the country.
According to Whip of NC PushpaBhusal, the two leaders discussed the inclusion of the parties in the ruling alliance.
Likewise, Bishnu Sapkota ‘Jugal’, Dahal’s press advisor, said that two leaders reached a high-level understanding to prepare common programmes of the government and move them forward.
Prime Minister Deuba and leader Dahal also met in the evening. PM Deuba reached the Khumaltar-based residence of Dahal.
However, Sapkota said that it was only a familial meeting, and the Prime Minister arrived in Khumaltar to wish the good health of Sita Dahal, ailing spouse of Dahal.
Prime Minister Deuba, who won the trust of the Parliament by garnering comfortable votes on Sunday, is yet to expand the Cabinet which he formed on Tuesday last week by including four ministers, two each from the Nepali Congress and the Maoist Centre.
Before meeting Prime Minister Deuba, the Maoist Centre chairman had held a meeting with senior leader of CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal and co-chair of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Upendra Yadav at leader Nepal’s residence in Koteshwor.
During the meeting, the leaders closely reviewed Sunday’s session of the House of Representatives, said Sapkota.
They also discussed the current political development and the way ahead to strengthen the coalition government led by Nepali Congress president Sher Bhadur Deuba, he added.
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