KATHMANDU: The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has decided to pick the party’s Vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam to the vacant post of the National Assembly (NA).
During the meeting of the party’s Secretariat held at Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Thursday, Prime Minister KP Oli said that the government has decided to recommend before President for his appointment.
“The Prime Minister told the meeting that Gautam will be recommended to the National Assembly as per the party’s decision,” said NCP Chairman Narayankaji Shrestha after the meeting.
It may be noted that the nine-member Secretariat meeting held on February 26 had recommended Gautam as a member of the National Assembly.
With this, the incumbent Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada’s term, which is expiring on September 5, will not be extended.
Gautam was the only member in the Secretariat who was not in parliament. All other eight members are in the parliament.
One who is not a member of parliament can become a minister only for six months as per the existing legal provision.
Even though Prime Minister KP Oli was in a mood to give continuity to Khatiwada due to his portfolio-related background and experiences, he could not endure the pressure coming from other party leaders, Baluwatar sources said.
Gautam had expressed his intention to become the NA lawmaker public recently after sensing Prime Minister Oli was preparing to give continuity to Khatiwada.
Prime Minister Oli and NCP Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had on Wednesday held talks on the agendas of the Secretariat meeting.
Sources said that Prime Minister Oli will look after two ministries — the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Information and Communications – that Khatiwada is looking after.
I have been enmeshed: PM Oli
Prime Minister KP Oli has complained that he has been entrapped from all sides once again.
In a telephonic conversation with Nepal Communist Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday morning, PM Oli said, ‘You enmeshed me once again. This becomes evident that all of you want to take Bam Dev (Gautam) to the National Assembly.”
Party sources said PM Oli urged Dahal to create a conducive environment to take Finance Minister Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada to the Upper House by asking lawmaker Ram Narayan Bidari to step down.
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