Bhattarai refuses to step down till fresh elections

Nepal’s caretaker Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai refused to step down from office on Monday till fresh elections to elect a new parliament is held.

Updated on: Jun 26, 2012, 11:48:35 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Nepal’s caretaker Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai refused to step down from office on Monday till fresh elections to elect a new parliament is held.

Talking to journalists at Tribhuwan International Airport on his return from the Rio+20 Summit, Bhattarai said that he would not resign till elections are held and a new government takes charge.

“I will hand over reigns of government to the next prime minister elected through parliament,” he stressed while reiterating the government’s commitment to hold fresh elections in November.

Nepal is facing a constitutional and political crisis following dissolution of the Constituent Assembly (that doubled as parliament) last month for failing to promulgate a new constitution on time.

Blaming Bhattarai for announcement of fresh elections, opposition parties are demanding his removal and formation of a national unity government through consensus as the only way to resolve the deadlock.

“Prime minister’s responsibility is not like a child’s toy that will be given up due to childlike insistence. The interim constitution specifies that this government will exist till fresh elections,” Bhattarai said.

Major opposition parties like Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) have refused to take part in the next elections till Bhattarai steps down.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

Check India news real-time updates, latest news on Hindustan Times and more across India.