NCP picks Bamdev Gautam as NA member

KATHMANDU: Ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has decided to pick Party’s Vice-Chairman Bamdev Gautam as a member of the National Assembly.

A meeting of the NCP Secretariat held at Baluwatar decided to this effect, informed Narayan Kaji Shrestha, spokesperson of the party.

Gautam will be nominated by the President on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers after March 3. The term of the nominated Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada is expiring on March 3.

Gautam had lost the parliamentarian elections held in 2017. He had fought the elections from Bardiya-1, representing the then left alliance.

It should be noted that Gautam had unsuccessfully tried to become a member of the House of Representatives through the backdoor, even by calling back the lawmakers from Kathmandu and Dolpa.

However, he backed off from this move after it courted controversies from all quarters.

Meanwhile, the meeting also dissolved the task force formed to suggest a constitution amendment proposal that would have paved the way for a National Assembly member to become the Prime Minister.

A task force was earlier formed after Bamdev Gautam is learned to have put pressure on the party leadership to amend the constitution so that it would pave his way to become the Prime Minister.