The obstruction of Legislature-Parliament session by opposition lawmakers immediately after President Bidya Devi Bhandari presented the government’s annual policies and programmes on Thursday foiled the House agenda of passing a vote of thanks to the head of state.

The main opposition CPN-UML, which barred House meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, had allowed the President to present the government’s annual policies before the House.

The opposition has protested the Cabinet decision to increase the number of local federal units in the Tarai in the midst of the elections.

Deputy Prime Minister Bimalendra Nidhi asked what the UML wanted to do by barring Parliament from thanking the President for her address to the budget session. It is customary for Parliament to thank the President for reading out the document.

“What’s the opposition role of the UML? … UML’s activity in today’s session was ridiculous,” Nidhi commented while exiting from the House.

Parliament has been unable to hold pre-budget discussion due to the opposition’s protest. The House meeting has been postponed till 1pm Friday. 

The UML has reiterated its stance to obstruct House proceedings unless the government withdraws its decision to increase the number of local units in 12 Tarai districts.

Deputy leader of the UML Parliamentary Party Subas Nembang alleged that the government was trying to postpone the second phase of elections on various pretexts.

Nembang said it was irresponsible of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to resign before conducting the second-round elections and without addressing the opposition’s concerns.