NC to back PM’s proposal to seek vote of confidence, stay in opposition: Deuba

Kathmandu, Jan 10: Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said the party would be voting for the proposal put forth by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, seeking a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives.     

In his address to a meeting of the lower house today, the erstwhile Prime Minister said the party would support Dahal’s premiership as per the latter’s request for the same.     

The President of the largest party in the parliament said however the NC would not participate in the Dahal-led government and would stay in opposition in the Federal Parliament. The party took this decision by assessing all related issues seriously.     

As he said, the party’s future course of action and policies as the opposition will be determined by the government's performance and it will closely watch and analyse every move of the government.     

On the occasion, the leader said Prime Minister Prachanda would make no compromises in regard to the protection of the constitution and will make their best to deliver in the interests of the nation and people by overcoming all the existing challenges. “Being based on the same faith, the party at the moment decided to vote for the Prime Minister’s proposal for a vote of confidence,” he said.     

According to leader Deuba, a responsible and strong opposition is the need of the parliament to make the government accountable, preventing the government to take probable unilateral steps and keeping the separation of power intact. “The NC strongly believes that the practice of broader and collective political discussions, consensus and collaboration should be promoted in regard to significant matters and the issues of national concerns.”     

He went on to say that sustainable development, good governance, development and prosperity were the common goals of political parties. He took time to advise the government to deliver honesty and maintain balanced and cordial relations with the neighbour and friend nations.     

Reminding the parliament that fundamental rights ensured by the Constitution were yet to be enforced, he spoke of the need for additional efforts to address the issues of farmers and poverty.     

Talking about the existing scenario of the national economy, the leader stressed the need for substantive policies and plans and their effective implementation to restore the economy.     

 Stating that the party’s serious attention had been drawn towards the statements by the CPN (UML) Chair and leaders of the ruling alliance during the very first meeting of the House of Representatives, the NC President any attempt to dissolve the House and threats to the Constitution would not be tolerated.     

According to him, the mixed electoral system has ensured the participation of diverse populations in terms of gender, caste, community, geography and so on in the parliament and this is the beauty of such an electoral system. The single majority of any specific party is unlikely in such a system and we have no alternative to getting habituated in the culture of the alliance government. (RSS)