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Maoists make U-turn, to continue support for Nepal govt
Less than a day after plotting to remove Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the Maoists made a U-turn on Thursday and decided to continue backing the government.
Less than a day after plotting to remove Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the Maoists made a U-turn on Thursday and decided to continue backing the government.
On Wednesday, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M), the main partner in the coalition headed by Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, decided to remove the seven-month-old regime.
In a statement seeking support from all parties, the UCPN-M blamed the government for failing to address the Madhes issue through talks, implement the new Constitution and speed up earthquake-related reconstruction.
The UPCN-M’s plan was to set up a national unity government headed by its chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, with support from the Nepali Congress, the biggest party in parliament and the main opposition.
But the move fizzled out after Oli assured Prachanda of giving him a chance to head the government once the budget and policies for the next fiscal are presented in parliament.
Oli said the reasons specified by the UCPN-M for planning to remove him would be addressed in a time-bound manner.
Following these developments, Prachanda apprised Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba of his party’s inability to bring a no-confidence motion against Oli.
“I have been elected by parliament and would remain in office as long as I enjoy the support of a majority of members,” Oli said in an address to parliament on Thursday afternoon after the threat to his government subsided.
He said he is not against a national unity government, but would not support a conspiracy to topple governments as a ruse to implement the new Constitution and address other issues.
Oli said more amendments could be made to the Constitution to address the demands of the Madhesi people and rejected allegations that nothing has been done to provide succour to millions affected by last year’s earthquakes.
