Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Paudel is expected to announce his resignation in parliament later Friday following spiraling Maoist violence this week, parliament sources said.
Paudel is expected to announce his resignation at the second session of parliament Friday scheduled to begin at 4 PM (10.15 GMT). Parliament was abuzz with possibilities of Paudel’s resignation at the first session of the legislature Friday.
The House of Representatives approved by majority vote an accounts bill releasing money for regular government expenditure for the next fiscal year beginning Monday; the main opposition UML and three other left parties boycotted the vote; the Rashtriya Prajatantra party and the Nepal Sadvabana party were present during the voice vote.
Reports of Paudel’s resignation surfaced after Maoists attacked government targets and killed or abducted more than 78 policemen in far west Nepal Wednesday and Thursday to protest introduction of new preventive detention regulations.
Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat earlier presented a Rs.99.77 billion annual budget for parliament’s approval. The debate of ministry allocations will now continue.