KATHMANDU, May 23: The Nepali Congress is under pressure from its central committee members to pull out from the present government in view of the lost relevance of the five point deal - the basis for the formation of the Maoist led government.
The second largest party had joined the Baburam Bhattarai-led government early this month following the signing of the five-point agreement in which the parties had committed to complete the constitution drafting process by May 27.
"All the members who spoke during the central committee meeting today (Wednesday) said the party should quit the government," said Central Committee member Dr Shekhar Koirala.
The party had called the meeting of central committee members to discuss the party´s strategy in the aftermath of the government decision to extend the Constituent Assembly term. Though law minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula, who is from NC, registered the bill seeking extension of CA term at the parliament secretariat on behalf of the government on Tuesday , NC has opposed any further extension of the CA term.
At the meeting, central committee members, according to leader Gagan Thapa, were of the view that the party as a staunch advocate of independent judiciary should oppose CA term extension. "The term should not be extended in defiance of the Supreme Court verdict," said Thapa quoting CC members who spoke at the meeting on Wednesday.
They further said that the party should not agree to CA term extension in exchange for government leadership. They also asked party General Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula as to why he registered the bill in the parliament secretariat.
In response, Sitaula, according to a leader present at the meeting, said, "I agreed as the government had to register the bill by Tuesday at any cost. I had hoped that the parties would reach a compromise later," a leader quoted Sitaula as saying. The NC meeting will continue on Thursday.
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