Kathmandu, Mar. 16: Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, who has had a rough ride since he assumed office in June last year, resigned today giving in to months of bickering and a renewed pressure from rebel lawmakers.

“I want to inform this House that it is going to be my last speech in the capacity of Prime Minister,” Bhattarai made a emotional announcement at the end of a nine page address to the jam-packed House of Representatives this afternoon.

“I thank the Speaker, leaders of the opposition parties and all other friends of my party for their hearty cooperation to me,” the Prime Minister said. “I want to inform the lawmakers from this rostrum that, in a while, I am going to the Royal Palace to submit my resignation to His Majesty the King,” Bhattarai said in a choked voice as tears rolled down the eyes of some ministers.

The Prime Minister himself could not hold back tears as he went and sat on his chair in the front row of the Treasury Bench after an emotionally charged speech that was carried live on Nepal Television and Radio Nepal.

The next moment, Bhattarai took out a neatly folded, white handkerchief from the left coat pocket and wiped his eyes as Speaker Taranath Ranabhat read a notice from His Majesty that said the resignation of Industry Minister RamKrishna Tamrakar had been accepted.

Tamrakar had resigned early this week to join the rank of 11 ministers, who had resigned under moral pressure in response to a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minster by 58 Congress lawmakers last month.

“I am ready for sacrifices of any scale for the sake of the country and democracy,” Bhattarai told the House in the address that outlined the achievements made by the government since his appointment as the Prime Minister. No confidence motions, he said, had been moved against him at a time progresses were being made in various fronts and the development works were picking up.

In his speech, Bhattarai spoke in terms of high respect of Congress’s new generation, which he said, had devoted their youth and energy for the cause of democracy and hence are capable to inherit the leadership next.