KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) leader Rama Paudyal has underscored the need for all the political forces of the country to unite in the campaign against poverty, corruption and unemployment, describing these as the common enemy of the nation.

She said the protracted political transition had provided a breeding ground for various sorts of aberrations, anomalies and irregularities in the country and a joint front has to be built to combat these by formulating the necessary legislation.

“The major political forces which are the agents of political change in the country should now emerge stronger against the common enemies and not involve themselves in accusation and counter-accusation against each other. They should guarantee good governance to the people,” she stressed.

Paudyal made a foray into politics from 2035 BS as a member of the Nepal Students Union, Bhojpur district chapter.

She also served as the advisor of the Nepal Women’s Association, Sunsari for a long time.

Leader Paudyal was active in the Nepal Trade Union Congress movement as well.

She has experience working as a central member of the Nepal Children’s Organisation for 17 years.

She is a life-member of the Nepal Red Cross Society. Paudyal was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives on a proportional representation quota from the Nepali Congress in the election held in 2022.

She is currently the Nepali Congress central committee member. She opined that the transition was protracted due to the delay in formulating the laws that were immediately required following the promulgation of the constitution, which resulted in the emergence of various problems.

Leader Paudyal added that several compromises that were made in connection with addressing these problems have posed challenges to good governance and these have to be addressed as soon as possible by formulating the required legislation.

Stating that as it is the first time she is serving as a legislator, she has been closely watching the activities in the parliament from the beginning and expressed that there was a long delay in forming the thematic committees, and the parliament was obstructed for long due to which important bills could not be presented and discussed in parliament.

Lawmaker Paudyal stressed that the main responsibility of a lawmaker is the formulation of laws and voicing people’s voices in parliament.

She pointed out the need to pass transitional justice-related laws as soon as possible.

Also a member of the House of Representatives, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Interest Protection Committee, she said the consumers and the low-wage workers are badly hit by the exorbitant market inflation and the government should immediately provide relief to them.

She was also critical of the small number of lawmakers attending the parliament’s meetings, stating that this has tarnished the image of the lawmakers.

She called on the lawmakers to become responsible and serious in their role as people’s representatives.

Leader Paudyal also lambasted at the leftist political parties that became popular by raising class-based political issues now pushing forth racial agenda, expressing worry this trend would disturb the social harmony among the diverse Nepali society.

Regarding the election process, she advocated for adopting a mixed election system of first-past-the-post and proportional representation.

She is also for reducing the number of seats under both systems.

Lawmaker Paudyal however pressed for giving more women candidacies in the geographical electoral constituencies through reforms in the proportional election system.

RSS