RJP-N withdraws support to government

KATHMANDU: Irked by the government’s ‘working style and apathy’ towards the party, the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) today withdrew its support to the KP Oli-led government.

A meeting of the party’s presidium held today in Kathmandu made the decision soon after the Kailali District Court gave its verdict on Tikapur incident, Rajendra Mahato, leader of RJP-N told Khabarhub.

The third largest party in the House of Representatives (HoR), the RJP-N withdrew its support to the government expressing discontent over the government’s indifference.

The district court sentenced RJP-N lawmaker Resham Chaudhary and 10 others to life imprisonment.

The RJP-N had been pressing the Oli government to withdraw the case filed against its lawmaker Chaudhary, the alleged key schemer of the Tikapur carnage of August 2015.

To recall the Tikapur incident, eight police personnel, including an SSP of Nepal Police, and a toddler were lynched during a protest rally organized by the Tharus of Tikapur expressing disenchantment over the constitution draft in August 2015.

The third largest party in the House of Representatives (HoR), the RJP-N, having 25 seats, withdrew its support to the government expressing discontent over the government’s indifference and the latter’s failure to address their concern.

The party had been expressing disenchantment over the government alleging the latter of not heeding to the voices raised by the party, including the agenda of constitution amendment.

The party has said it would not go to the people while terming the court’s decision “unacceptable”.

The RJP-N said it lent its support to the Oli government to ensure a stable and strong government. “The government repeatedly ignored our voices,” Mahato said.

The party has also accused the government for failing to nab the criminals, including those involved in the rape and murder of Nirmala Pant of Kanchanpur.

Even though the party supported Prime Minister Oli to win the vote of confidence in the parliament in March 2018, it did not join the government.