Politics Becomes More Complicated in Ways That Will Exacerbate Gridlock
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WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 11 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 32.0 C 3.0 C Monday, March 01, 2021 | 17-11-2077 Nepalgunj Jumla Politics becomes more complicated in ways that will exacerbate gridlock Oli refuses to budge as the Dahal-Nepal faction explores options, only to realise that there are none as of now. TIKA R PRADHAN unless there is a new equation in KATHMANDU, FEB 28 Parliament. And that’s not possible if the Nepali Congress chooses to stay Days after the Supreme Court over- quiet. turned Prime Minister KP Sharma The current composition of the Oli’s House dissolution move, calling House goes thus: The Dahal-Nepal fac- it unconstitutional, Oli on Sunday tion controls around 90 seats, the Oli said that he would not resign and chal- faction has 80 to 83, the Nepali lenged his opponents to unseat him. Congress 63 (two suspended) and the “You have reinstated the House by Janata Samajbadi Party 34 (two sus- winning the case. Now remove me. Get pended). Rastriya Prajatantra Party, a no-confidence motion endorsed,” Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party and said Oli at a function in Jhapa district Rastriya Janamorcha have one seat on Sunday. each. There is one independent law- Oli was referring to Pushpa Kamal maker. Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, who “The only option we have is to force have fallen out with him. Oli to resign, but if he refuses to do so, The Supreme Court on February 16 we will oust him through a no-confi- sent Nepali politics back to Parliament dence motion,” said Barsaman Pun, a by asking authorities to call a House Standing Committee member of the meeting within 13 days. The govern- Dahal-Nepal faction. “We are confi- POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI ment has accordingly recom- dent that the Nepali Congress will A man works at a plastic recycling plant in Khokana, Lalitpur on Sunday. The facility collects discarded plastic goods from different parts mended the winter session of the support us when the House session of Kathmandu Valley and recycles them. federal parliament to commence begins.” on March 7. The Congress, however, has decided Since Oli has not resigned, to play safe and has not expressed its which, in principle, he should commitment to the Dahal-Nepal fac- have done on moral grounds, the tion’s request for support. The Nepali Dahal-Nepal faction is now in a Congress has been in a wait-and-see INSIDE Oli does not want to quit on fix. mode, saying the Nepal Communist And politics has become more Party has not split yet, legally. complicated than ever before. The Election Commission so far has At least 18 dead on bloodiest moral grounds but instead There is no legal or constitu- refused to take any decision on the day of Myanmar protests tional way to oust Oli, which the Nepal Communist Party. Dahal-Nepal faction wants, >> Continued on page 2 MYANMAR: Myanmar police fired on protesters around the country on is talking of horse trading Sunday in the bloodiest day of weeks of demonstrations against a military coup and at least 18 people were Implying elected representatives are for sale is disrespecting killed, the UN human rights office said. Police were out in force early the House and electorate, lawmakers and analysts say. and opened fire in different parts of the biggest city of Yangon after stun grenades, tear gas and shots in the air failed to break up crowds. Soldiers also reinforced police. Several wound- ed people were hauled away by fellow protesters, leaving bloody smears on pavements, media images showed. One man died after being brought to a hospital with a bullet in the chest, said a doctor who asked not to be identified. “Police and military forces have confronted peaceful demonstra- tions, using lethal force and less-than- lethal force that—according to credi- ble information received by the UN Human Rights Office—has left at least 18 people dead and over 30 wounded,” the UN human rights office said. (Details on Pg6) POST FILE PHOTO Prime Minister Oli has been saying horse trading begins if the House is reinstated. 10 megawatts of solar power BINOD GHIMIRE Oli has been making similar state- evacuated to national grid KATHMANDU, FEB 28 ments. in Province 2 A day before the Supreme Court’s Are Nepal’s lawmakers for sale? verdict to reinstate the House of JANAKPUR: A Nepali private company They are, if some recent statements Representatives, Oli on February 22 has generated about 10 megawatts by Nepali politicians are anything to said the dirty game of horse trading of solar power in the southeastern go by. will begin if the House is reinstated. region of Dhalkebar, Mahottari of Ever since the Supreme Court over- “The game for the formation of a Province 2 where hydropower turned KP Sharma Oli’s December 20 new government will begin if the potential is almost nil and evacuated decision to dissolve the House of court decides to reinstate the House of it to the national grid. This is the Representatives on February 23, ask- Representatives,” he said while largest solar power fed into the ing authorities to convene the House addressing a mass gathering in national grid by a private company meeting within 13 days, “horse trad- Kanchanpur. “This will lead to the till date. On November 10, 2020, ing” is something many people, dirty game of horse trading.” private producer, Ridi Hydropower including politicians, are talking Both Oli and Gyawali are elected Development Company, had about. Members of Parliament, and their evacuated 8.5 megawatts of solar In principle, Oli should have statements hinting that other elected energy to the national grid from its resigned on moral grounds after the people could be bought and sold so plant in Manigram, Rupandehi. The Supreme Court’s decision, but he has easily undermine not only the law- Dhalkebar plant is spread over been challenging his opponents— makers but also the hallowed House, nearly 40 bighas [6.3 hectares] of Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav according to leaders and analysts. land. The developer—Eco Power Kumar Nepal—to oust him. So far, leaders of the Oli faction Development Company—had If Oli does not resign of his own have been constantly talking about the contracted the project to Kushal volition, the House is likely to be dead- dangers of the horse trading game Projects Nepal under the design, locked. The only way the Dahal-Nepal taking centre stage, just while Oli supply, construction, operation and faction can unseat Oli is through a himself has not given two hoots about maintenance modality. (Details on Pg5) no-confidence motion, but since it resigning on moral grounds despite lacks the numbers, it will need the the Supreme Court saying his House Nepali Congress support to do so. dissolution was unconstitutional. Make way for rhino The Dahal-Nepal faction claims to Lawmakers from both factions of KATHMANDU: The several phones in have around 90 Members of the Nepali Communist Party say such Alisha Shah’s office in Nepal Leather Parliament on its side. That leaves the statements about horse trading are Craft’s factory, in Maitidevi, keep Oli faction with 80 to 83 members sup- condemnable. ringing throughout the day. Most calls porting it. The Nepali Congress has 63 “Such statements from Oli and a are from the marketing, branding and seats in the House and the Janata senior leader from his faction are production team, and every now and Samajbadi Party 34. uncalled for,” said Surendra Karki, then, a phone call is for her father No party has a majority. And now also known as Ram Karki, a leader Amit Shah, who founded the compa- politicians themselves are expressing from the Dahal-Nepal faction. “There ny more than 20 years ago. In 2014, concerns if lawmakers could switch is no match to them in making irre- after completing her MBA, Alisha sides for their personal gains. sponsible comments.” joined Nepal Leather Craft. Until that Speaking at a programme in the According to Karki, if anyone is year, Nepal Leather Craft (NLC) man- Capital on Saturday, Minister for making attempts to “buy” lawmakers ufactured and supplied leather prod- Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali, who then it’s those from the Oli faction. ucts to leather goods wholesalers and is also the spokesperson for the Oli- “But they must understand no one retailers to dealers in Nepal and faction of the Nepal Communist Party, is for sale,” Karki told the Post. abroad. The company also took bulk said House reinstatement has raised Leaders from the Oli faction also corporate orders. But when Shah possibilities of horse trading. say it’s wrong for senior leaders, joined NLC, she had one singular “We fear the House would turn into including the prime minister, to make aim—to start a successful brand a place of horse trading,” said such irresponsible statements, which under NLC, a brand that’s known for Gyawali. “What if it becomes a plat- not only disparage lawmakers but also quality leather products, and that’s form for an unnatural alliance devoid belittle the House. how Rhino was born. (Details on Pg8) of any policy and ideology?” >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K MONDAY, MARCH 01, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Menstrual hygiene campaign benefits girl students in Mangalsen MENUKA DHUNGANA ACHHAM, FEB 28 Aayushma Subedi of Mangalsen Municipality-5 in Achham used to miss her school when she was men- struating.