NC to push for Paudel as new PM

THT Online

KATHMANDU: A joint meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) Central Working Committing (CWC) and Parliamentary Party (PP) meeting held at the erstwhile House of Representatives in Singha Durbar decided to press for the declaration of its PP leader Ram Chandra Paudel, as the new Prime Minister on Sunday evening.

Emerging from the meeting, spokesperson of the PP Navindra Raj Joshi said that the meeting decided to urge Subas Chandra Nembang, speaker of the Legislature-Parliament, to declare Paudel as the new PM.

“According to the spirit of the decision of Supreme Court on the ongoing election for the new PM, the party urged to declare its PP leader as the PM,” said Joshi.

Paudel is the sole candidate contesting for the PM. However, he failed to garner adequate votes in the Legislature which comprises 601 members in the 16 rounds of voting so far.

Joshi added that the meeting also hailed the release of Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Junta government of Myanmar freed Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize winner after seven years of house arrest on Saturday. He added that Suu Kyi should be given the full phased political freedom.

Earlier, on Thursday, the Supreme Court floated three options before the Speaker and the House as the election process for the prime minister had proved fruitless despite 16 rounds, declare the sole candidate Ram Chandra Paudel as the prime minister; seek a fresh alternative to election; and review the provisions in the House Rules relating to the prime ministerial election and take up a suitable provision to rescue the nation from political and constitutional impasse.

Meanwhile, the 17th round of the PM poll is scheduled for tomorrow. However, it is uncertain whether it will be held or not.