National
UML to obstruct revision proposal
The CPN-UML has decided to make an all-out attempt to foil the amendment proposal after the ruling coalition claimed that they could endorse it even without the main opposition’s support.Tika R Pradhan
The CPN-UML has decided to make an all-out attempt to foil the amendment proposal after the ruling coalition claimed that they could endorse it even without the main opposition’s support.
The party’s standing committee meeting on Saturday decided to obstruct the government’s amendment proposal with all efforts together with the opposition alliance, party Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai said, adding that it also demanded the government to immediately withdraw the proposal and lead the nation towards the local polls.
The meeting at party headquarters in Dhumbarahi also demanded that the local polls must be held in a single phase before the presentation of annual budget.
“The party has decided to oppose the government’s proposal either to hold the local polls after the budget speech or postpone the budget presentation until the local polls,” Bhattarai said.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had said on Friday that the government would make necessary arrangements to bring out the budget after the second round of local polls on June 14.
During the meeting, UML leaders had briefed the standing committee about the developments of their meetings with leaders of the Maoist Centre and Nepali Congress.
Earlier on the day, the NC leadership had reached out to UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and urged him to support the amendment proposal.
NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba, senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and leader Krishna Sitaula had met Oli at his Balkot residence and asked the latter to lend support in endorsing the revised constitution amendment bill and not to obstruct the House proceedings if UML does not support it.
“We urged Oli to soften their stance to ensure that constitution would be acceptable to all the parties,” Poudel said. “But he reiterated that his party won’t let the process to amend constitution begin.”
UML Vice-chairman Yubaraj Gyawali and General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel were also present in the meeting. During the meeting, the NC leaders had also assured the Oli that the ruling coalition would sort out technical issues to incorporate UML’s concerns in the amendment.
In Friday’s all-party meeting, PM Dahal had also urged UML leaders to support the amendment proposal as the government wish to make it a document of consensus. He clarified that the government would make an effort until last moment to convince the UML before resorting to the parliamentary process to endorse the proposal.
But Maoist Centre leaders’ failed to convince the UML top brass despite two consecutive days of efforts. The UML has accused the ruling coalition of bypassing them while forging an agreement with the agitating forces.
“As the government did not bother to discuss the issues to be amended with the main opposition, the opposition front has already registered their amendment to the government registered proposal,” said leader of the UML Parliamentary Party Subash Chandra Nembang.
The government had tabled the amendment bill to bring the agitating Samyukta Gathabandan on board the local level elections.
Poll manifesto presentation today
The CPN-UML is set to unveil its manifesto for the upcoming local polls on Sunday.
Member of the manifesto drafting committee Surendra Pandey said the manifesto will be based on four broader aspects. Besides explaining political ideology of the ‘communist’ party, the document would include the political role that the UML had played in the past, the party’s way forward to strengthen local levels and the party’s vision for the economic prosperity for the nation.
On the economic front, the party will focus on development of hydropower and infrastructure, including transportation sector, to ensure socio-economic transformation. The party has envisioned completing all the road networks across the country within a decade.
To strengthen local levels, the UML plans to develop modern systems to serve the people at their doorsteps. As per the manifesto, the central government would extend financial support to the local levels until they become self-reliant. In order to discourage the trend of migration for foreign jobs, the party has also talked about generating employment for the youths as well as providing free education and health facilities. Efforts would also be made to create a situation that guarantees enough job opportunities and utilisation of skills of those returning from the developed countries.
The UML plans to place Nepal as a developed country within 25 years by generating employment for about half a million people yearly. The old-age allowance would be raised to Rs5,000 and take the country’s per capita income to as much as $5,000 within a decade. (PR)