KATHMANDU: An all-party meeting called by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is underway at Singha Durbar on Sunday evening. The meeting, which includes only pro-republican parties, began at 7 PM.
Rabi Lamichhane’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and the pro-monarchy Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) were not invited. RSP is the fourth-largest party in Parliament, while RPP is the fifth-largest.
The meeting includes leaders from Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Centre), both factions of Janata Samajbadi Party, Baburam Bhattarai’s NSP, Mahantha Thakur’s Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, and Janamat Party. RSP’s ambiguous stance and the violent protests led by RPP on Friday led republican parties to exclude them.
According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the meeting aims to unify republican forces following the aggressive and violent demonstration by monarchists on Friday.
RPP Vice-chair Rabindra Mishra and General Secretary Dhawal Shumsher Rana were arrested after the protest, and a five-day judicial remand was issued against them on Sunday for charges related to crimes against the state.
UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula stated that the meeting was convened to resolve the parliamentary deadlock.
Meanwhile, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, in a meeting with chief whips, emphasized that the incident in Tinkune was an attack on democracy and urged all parties to facilitate discussions in Parliament. He stressed that parliamentary obstruction should not continue under any circumstances.
Bartaula also confirmed that Prime Minister Oli will address the House session on Monday, March 31. On Sunday, Oli and opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ discussed the ongoing parliamentary deadlock over a phone call, which was followed by the all-party meeting.
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