Amidst disputes between the MPs of the ruling seven-party alliance, the House of Representatives (HoR) endorsed the government’s programmes and policies by majority votes on Tuesday.
Voting was conducted after MPs of Rastriya Prajatrana Party (RRP) announced, during the discussion, that they would vote against the government’s programmes and policies while People’s Front Nepal (PFN) decided not to participate in the voting expressing disapproval to the programmes and policies.
While PFN’s three MPs stayed out of the voting, the breakaway faction of the PFN led by the Chitra Bahadur KC, which also has three MPs, voted in favour of the government’s programmes and policies.
Heated debate had taken place with some CPN (UML) parliamentarians lashing out at the PFN parliamentarians for criticising the programmes and policies while being in the government. The PFN MPs argued that the programmes and policies were short of leading the country to a progressive solution to the current problems.
PFN chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Amik Sherchan was absent when the programmes and policies were presented at the HoR on Sunday.
UML MP Raghuji Panta said the Front should “either vote for the programmes and policies or quit the government”.
Deputy prime minister K P Sharma Oli (File photo)
Deputy prime minister K P Sharma Oli (File photo)
Responding to the queries of the MPs, Deputy Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who had presented the government’s programmes and policies on behalf of Prime Minister GP Koirala, said the government was committed to establishing peace and democracy in the country and implement the agreements reached between the seven parties and the Maoists.
“The parliament should remain. It will not be a deterrent in executing the [parties-Maoist] agreements,” he said.
Giving the peace process top priority, the government’s programmes and policies stressed on rural development, rehabilitation and reconstruction, special development programmes for Karnali region and education quotas to girls, among others.