KATHMANDU: Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP)’s Federal Council Chairman Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has urged CPN-Maoist Center’s Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ to quit the government immediately if he does not support the passage to the United States grant Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) from the House of Representatives (HoR).
Speaking at a program organized in Kathmandu on Saturday, former prime minister Bhattarai also suggested Prachanda not to talk nonsense about pulling out of government when the MCC has reached a decisive point.
“My old friend Prachanda, you either support MCC and help get it passed with 138 votes in parliament or else pull out of government. You cannot stay in power and, at the same time, foil the government agenda. You cannot speak about nationality on the outside and betray the nation on the inside.”
Bhattarai said, “The first option is that you support MCC. If not, you are free to leave. Someone else will occupy your place and we pass MCC with a majority. We are clear about it and do not talk nonsense.”
Stating that MCC was an important issue, Bhattarai said MCC should be passed by a clear majority of parliamentarians instead of the majority of those present in the parliament.
Stating that 68 lawmakers make the quorum in the parliament, half of that is 35. An important agenda such as MCC should not be passed by 35 people. The number of parliamentarians is 275, of which 271 are there. Half of this number is 138. MCC should be passed by garnering over 138 votes. If we do anything else, it will be a betrayal to the people,” said Bhattarai.
He reiterated that Nepal should work for the development, prosperity and lasting peace of the country with the support of all countries including China, India and the United States.
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