KATHMANDU: The Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) has decided to allow lawmakers to exercise their discretion in the vote of confidence to be taken by Prime Minister KP Oli in the parliament on Monday.

JSP leader Ashok Rai said the meeting of office-bearers held at Federal Council Chairman Baburam Bhattarai’s residence in Tokha Sunday afternoon decided to give the freedom to the lawmakers to oppose the vote of confidence or remain neutral.

“We have asked the parliamentarians to use their conscience. They will either remain neutral or vote against PM Oli,” said Rai. He added the party will not issue a whip on the vote of confidence to be taken by PM Oli on Monday.

Earlier in the day, JSP Chairman Mahantha Thakur and leader Rajendra Mahato,  who are close to PM Oli, met and held talks with Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba.

After that, the two leaders had gone to PM Oli’s residence and conveyed to him that they could not provide him confidence vote as their demands had not been fulfilled.