By P.R. Pradhan
When the leaders of the five parties in alliance agreed to table the American grant project MCC in Parliament for its rectification, an odd scene was witnessed inside the Parliament and also outside the Parliament premises on Sunday, 20 February.
The leaders of the parties in the present alliance government were denouncing the USA and opposing the MCC grant project in Parliament, whereas, their cadres belonging to different sister organizations of the Maoist Center and CPN-MS were pelting stones on the security personnel opposing MCC.
The parties in the ruling alliance were playing the role of opposition in the Parliament and their caders were launching agitation in the streets. The supreme leaders of the respective parties – Pushpakamal Dahal and Madhav Nepal had given a green signal for tabling MCC in the Parliament meeting. Following the instruction of Dahal, speaker Agni Sapkota had allowed tabling the MCC accord in the Parliament meeting. Earlier, for years, the speaker had kept on hold the MCC from discussion at the Parliament meeting. Indeed, we could see an odd picture of loktantra in Nepal.
Absence of ethics:
The MCC is the common agenda of the alliance government. In a parliamentarian democracy, the prime minister is all in all and any agenda presented by the PM should be accepted by those in the government or if any difference with the PM, they should quit the government.
Odd to notice, the alliance parties, Maoist Center and CPN US have decided for no voting on MCC, yet, the leaders are saying that such a decision will not affect the present alliance. It makes clear that they are performing double standards. They, on the one hand, are playing the role to endorse MCC from Parliament, on the other, are trying to make fools to the people and voters by opposing the American grant project saying that it is against Nepal’s national interests.
Deuba is confident
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, however, is confident of ratification of the MCC grant project from Parliament. Deuba said confidently to the media persons after tabling MCC in the Parliament that the MCC will be ratified from Parliament.
Deuba believes that even if the Maoist Center and also the CPN US will not vote for MCC, with the support of the Janata Samajbadi Party and also the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, the MCC can be ratified with a simple majority of the MPs present in the Parliament.
According to the provision, for ratification of the MCC, the general majority of the MPs present in the Parliament meeting is needed.
Presently, the total strength of the Parliament is 271 and to run the House meeting, one fourth i.e. 68 MPs are needed. Out of the 68 MPs, if 35 MPs will vote for MCC, it can be endorsed. NC has a total of 61 MPs excluding two suspended MPs. NC alone cannot manage one-fourth of the MPs, however, it has enough votes to secure the needed number 35 to endorse MCC from Parliament.
Meanwhile, PM Deuba is also making efforts to bag UML’s support for a comfortable and prestigious majority for the MCC. However, UML has repeated its precondition to support the NC in ratifying MCC. UML has demanded action against 14 MPs who quit the party or the resignation of speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota.
In the meantime, PM Deuba has mobilized NC leaders to lobby for MC with the political leaders from the parties in the alliance government and also the parties outside the government to garner support for MCC.
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