KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has dismissed rumors of a government change in Nepal, stating that the current government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will not be overthrown.
Speaking upon her return to Kathmandu on Friday, Minister Rana addressed the rumors during her participation in the 81st session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) held in Bangkok, Thailand, from April 21 to 25.
She clarified that her visit was purely for the UN program and not for any political discussions.
Minister Rana took the opportunity to address ongoing speculation regarding the political situation in Nepal, especially with her husband, Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is also the President of the Nepali Congress, being in Thailand for personal reasons.
She explained that Deuba was in Thailand for a medical check-up and personal work, not for political meetings.
“This time, there was no political meeting with anyone. The meeting took place at BIMSTEC yesterday, but it was not related to any political matters,” she stated.
Minister Rana also pointed out that rumors of a government change emerging while she and her husband were abroad were nothing more than entertainment.
“The news about the government changing is being made for entertainment purposes,” she remarked. “Such news comes while we are abroad. The government change should happen in Nepal, not abroad.”
In response to the political rumors, Minister Rana confirmed that Prime Minister Oli and Congress President Deuba had spoken over the phone on Thursday night.
“The Prime Minister and President Deuba had a phone conversation this evening as well,” she said. “He reassured the Prime Minister not to worry, and that is natural.”
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