PM dismisses rumours about coalition change

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, July 2: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has dismissed the rumours about the changes in the coalition partners.

Briefing the meeting of Council of Ministers on Monday, the Prime Minister said that the rumors that there has been an increasing discontent in the ruling coalition are baseless, according to Minister for Communication and Information Technology Rekha Sharma. 

Rumours were rife on Monday that the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, the two large parties in the House of Representatives, were exercising to form a new government under CPN-UML chairman KP Sharma Oli. 

Answering to the queries of journalists after the Cabinet meeting in Singha Durbar on Monday evening, Minister Sharma said that the Prime Minister briefed about the discussion that took place between chairman of CPN-UML KP Sharma Oli and President of the Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday. 

Minister Sharma, who is also the government spokesperson, said, “The Prime Minister gave a briefing on the topics discussed between Oli and Deuba at Balkot residence of CPN-UML Chairman Oli.  Following the meeting, Prime Minister Prachanda and Oli held face-to-face meetings twice on Sunday and Monday.”   

It is not true that there has been an increasing misunderstanding among the ruling parties as talked outside and in some media, said Minister Sharma. 

“The Prime Minister has briefed the Ministers that the present coalition will last long,” said Minister Sharma. 

Minister Sharma insisted that there was no discussion on forming a new government of national consensus.

Similarly, the Cabinet meeting took various decisions including approval of the National Strategy and Action Plan 2081/82-2085/86 B.S. related to Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) on the proposal of the office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

The Cabinet meeting decided to accept a grant of Rs. 382.2 million to be provided by the Japanese government for the scholarship project for human resource development.

Further, the Cabinet decided to approve the submission of the Bill to amend the Securities Act-2063 in the federal parliament.

Upon the proposal of the Ministry of Finance, the Cabinet meeting also decided to amend the Bill related to Financial Procedures and Fiscal Responsibility Act-2076 and table it to the federal parliament.

Minister Sharma said the government approved the acquisition of 107 hectares of land in Lamkichuha Municipality of Kailali district for the Ranijamara Kulariya Irrigation Project.

Further, the Cabinet decided to table a Bill drafted to amend the Nepal Law Practitioners Council Act-2050 to the federal parliament. 

According to the proposal of the Ministry of Forests and Environment, the government gave an approval to use the land of the national forest area for Tamor Corridor, Liping Khola Hydropower Project, Burtiwang-Paudi-Amrai-Tamghas-Gorusinge 132 kV transmission line, Herb Production and Processing Company Limited and Super Ghalemdi Hydropower Project Office.