NC‚ UML mulling no trust motion against PM

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML are thinking of registering a no trust motion against Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to challenge the political legitimacy of the government in the event the Constituent Assembly is dissolved tomorrow.

If they succeed, they could argue before the President that the Bhattarai-led government has already lost legitimacy and should be replaced by a more impartial caretaker government which can hold the next general elections.

UML parliamentary leader and party Chair Jhala Nath Khanal, in today’s parliamentary party meeting, asked party lawmakers to sign a ‘blank paper’ which could be used for the purpose of registering a no trust motion, but he failed to convince his lawmakers, party sources said. Some UML leaders believe that the Mohan Baidhya faction of the Unified CPN-Maoist will support the NC and UML if they bring a no trust motion in the parliament. If the Baidhya faction supports the NC and the UML they could be in a position to muster 301 signatures against the Prime Minister. The NC and UML have 112 and 106 members respectively in the CA. The Baidhya faction is believed to have more than 70 members. The UCPN-M is the largest party in the 601 member CA.

Those who opposed the party leadership view said it was time to contribute in framing a new constitution and not seeking an alternative to the government. Some lawmakers even suggested that the leadership to give up the idea otherwise the party would be seen as a spoiler in the constitution making process. There was buzz that NC leaders were also gathering signatures of their lawmakers, which could be used for a no trust motion. When asked if the NC was mulling a no trust motion against the government, NC parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Paudel kept everyone guessing. “I do not know whether or not a no trust motion will be registered.”