Nepal PM wants another deal to quit office

Nepal’s embattled Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has sought a fresh deal among political parties as pre-condition to stepping down from office.

Updated on: Aug 5, 2012, 01:28:44 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal’s embattled Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has sought a fresh deal among political parties as pre-condition to stepping down from office.

Reacting to growing clamour for his resignation, Bhattarai thinks it is the best way out of the present deadlock following dissolution of the Constituent Assembly in May.

“A new agreement is needed to find a solution to all national issues. I will step down only when such a deal happens,” he told media persons in an interaction at his official residence on Friday.

Bhattarai feels that the five-point deal among the ruling Maoist-Madhesi combine and opposition Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) is no longer relevant.

The deal signed in May had stipulated that Bhattarai government would step down and a national unity government headed by Nepali Congress would be formed before promulgation of the new constitution.

But with CA getting dissolved without a new constitution, Bhattarai has refused to budge from office till fresh elections while opposition wants his ouster as the only way out of the impasse.

Following dissolution of CA, the PM had announced fresh elections in November. But with the caretaker government failing to clear several procedural hurdles regarding elections, polls on time seems unlikely.

“Electing a new CA to draft the constitution within six months and functioning as parliament for the rest of its tenure is the best option now,” Bhattarai stated.

However, NC and CPN (UML) have refused to take part in elections till Bhattarai resigns and a new government is formed. They are also suggesting possibility of reviving the old CA for a brief period to draft the statute.

Amidst all these, President Ram Baran Yadav, whose role has become crucial following the CA dissolution, has called a meeting of major parties on Sunday to find a way out of the present mess.

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

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