NC leaders snub NC Prez's call PP leader 'threatens' to withdraw support from govt
KOSH RAJ KOIRALA
KATHMANDU, Oct 13: The Nepali Congress (NC) Parliamentary Party has strongly protested the decision of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to promote Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala to deputy prime minister (DPM).
Talking to the prime minister over the phone just an hour before the swearing in ceremony, NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel threatened to withdraw support to the coalition government if he disregarded the party´s institutional decision.
"NC has been made to stake its entire future for the future of a member of one particular family. History will judge Girija Prasad Koirala accordingly. He has eventually been able to secure the post of DPM through hollow threats." - Gagan Thapa
"This is affection of a father for his daughter. I personally do not have any further comment on it. The party central working committee will make further comments." - Nara Hari Acharya
"This is not an institutional decision of the party. The NC has not made any decision in this regard. The party is unaware about the appointment." - NC spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC
“You as prime minister have the right to promote someone to deputy prime minister,” a NC source quoted Poudel as telling the prime minister over the phone. “But you should be aware whether the NC´s support to the government will remain intact if you disregard the party´s institutional decision.”
Poudel had reminded the prime minister that the NC CWC and PP had not taken any decision on Sujata´s promotion and there was strong protest against the idea.
He had called the prime minister over the phone when a meeting of the party´s office bearers and senior leaders was underway in at NC headquarters at Sanepa to develop the party´s official stance on various issues pertaining to the new constitution.
Around 25 senior NC leaders including Acting President Sushil Koirala, Vice Presidents Prakash Man Singh and Gopal Man Shrestha, General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi, Joint General Secretary Arjun Narsingh KC and Krishna Sitaula were present at the meeting.
According to a senior leader present at the meeting, the prime minister had telephoned PP leader Poudel, Acting President Koirala and General Secretary Nidhi to inform them that he was going to promote Sujata to DPM in the evening. The NC leaders present became aggressive soon after they heard the news.
The prime minister is also learnt to have called Gobinda Raj Joshi and Khum Bahadur Khadka over the phone to bring them into confidence.
The prime minister told the NC leaders over the phone that he could not hold back from the decision to promote Sujata as he was facing immense pressure from NC President Girija Prasad Koirala. However, the NC leaders had strongly opposed any such move.
Sources said party President Girija Prasad Koirala had made an attempt to contact Acting President Koirala and PP leader Poudel over the phone after the prime minister briefed party President Koirala about the NC leader´s warning.
NC President Koirala´s aide Shekhar Thapa had called NC office secretary Ram Chandra Pokharel on the latter´s cell phone after the two leaders did not accept calls from Girija Prasad Koirala´s residence.
The two also snubbed party President Koirala´s calls through Pokharel´s mobile. Later Pokharel himself was asked to convey Koirala´s request to the two to reach the President´s Office for the swearing in ceremony. None of the senior NC leaders except ministers representing the party in the government attended the swearing in.
Sources said the prime minister had long been under pressure from Girija Prasad Koirala to promote Sujata as deputy prime minister. He had met NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday and tried to bring him into confidence in his move to promote Sujata as DPM. A senior leader close to Deuba said he told the prime minister that he would not support the decision. Deuba is currently in India.
Sources close to the prime minister said that Girija Prasad Koirala on Saturday had told the prime minister to give Sujata the DPM´s berth to prolong his government. Koirala had given indications that he would look for an alternative government if Nepal failed to promote his daughter to DPM.
Earlier on Monday afternoon, the prime minister had called Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar and Sujata Koirala to his official residence at Baluwatar. Gachchhadar is learnt to have reservations over Sujata Koirala being promoted as DPM.
During the meeting, the prime minister had told the two that he could not withhold the decision as NC President Koirala kept exerting immense pressure on him.
He had asked Sujata Koirala to help mend the schism within her party and prolong the current government as the NC PP and CWC were against her becoming DPM.
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NC Leaders Snub NC Prez's Call PP Leader 'threatens' To Withdraw Support From Govt
if nepali congress parliamentary party and central committee accepts GPK´s nepotism, nepali people will not forgive nepali congress. khabardar.
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khabardar
All the leaders of NC are cowards in front of GPK.
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hari narayan
This decision is a humiliation of all the Martyrs. Sujata has never done anything for either Nepali Congress of the nation itself. She ran away to India while Nepalese where fighting for democracy during the last uprising against Gyanendra Shah. She came back to Nepal only after he stepped down. GP Koirala's name could have been written in gold in Nepal's history. But he has rather decided to bright shame to the entire democratic world. His legacy has now been reduced to nothingness. With th
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Ravii
Bring back Gyanendra. This is now too much.
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Bring Back Gyanendra
Split Nepali Congress and bring GPK down. This is the last straw. There is no other alternative than to bring GPK down. This nepotism is too much. This is worse than dirty. This is phlegmatic. Kick Suzata Jost back to Germany. Shame on weak Congressis who cannot say one word or do one thing against GPK. Shame, shame, shame.
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