CPN (Maoist Centre) leader and minister without portfolio Mahendra Bahadur Shahi has said that his party will quit the government on October 22.

Speaking at an interaction organised in the Capital on Wednesday, leader Shahi said the Maoist Centre has no desire to stay in the government and clarified that the party will quit the government on October 22.

“Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba made a great mistake by inducting ministers when there was no Parliament and the Maoist Centre was supporting the government,” said Minister Shahi, who was looking after Energy Minister until Tuesday. 

Saying that the prime minister’s move has indicated possible deferral of polls, Shahi made it clear that they will stay in the government without portfolio till the nomination date.

He claimed that his party would stay in the government just to ensure the elections. 

The CPN (Maoist Centre) changed its mind on Tuesday hours after announcing that it would leave the government, claiming that it received information about plans to postpone the elections.

He warned that his party cadres and leaders would hit the street if the government did not hold the elections on time and hatched any conspiracy to postpone the elections.

Minister Shahi claimed that the leftist alliance between CPN-UML and Maoist Centre was forged for the political stability of the country.

RPP joins govt to hold elections on time: Giri

Also speaking at the same programme, newly appointed Minister for Urban Development Dil Nath Giri said the Rastriya Prajatantra Party joined the government in order to ensure the parliamentary and provincial elections slated for November 26 and December 7. 

“Elections will be held on time,” he said, adding, “The government is doing its best for the same.” “Our main responsibility is to hold the remaining elections on time and implement the constitution,” he further said.

Moreover, he called on everyone not to harbour doubt over the elections on scheduled date.