Valley
Speaker meets Deuba, Dahal to find consensus
Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar, who is in a bit of tight spot following recent political developments, has been in consultations with leaders of major parties to find a point of compromise to resolve the current political impasse, which is likely to hit the parliamentary proceedings.Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar, who is in a bit of tight spot following recent political developments, has been in consultations with leaders of major parties to find a point of compromise to resolve the current political impasse, which is likely to hit the parliamentary proceedings.
Speaker Gharti Magar, who met CPN-UML Chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday, met Nepali Congress President and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Wednesday in a bid to forge consensus among the parties which are bickering over whether the no-confidence motion or budget-related bills should be discussed first when Parliament resumes on Thursday.
According to a statement issued by the Speaker’s Secretariat, Gharti Magar has asked the top leaders to find a meeting point on the agenda of Parliament. She has informed the leaders that she is ready to proceed with any of the two agendas if
parties forge consensus. “If there is no consensus, the no-confidence motion will be the priority of the House,” reads the statement.
After her meetings with Deuba and Dahal, Speaker Gharti Magar called on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and briefed the latter on the developments. The Speaker is learnt to have reiterated her position that she is ready to move ahead with any of the two agendas based on what the parties decide.
Speaker Gharti Magar later on Wednesday called a meeting of the Parliament’s Working Procedure Committee with an aim to find a way out. But the meeting failed to make any headway after chief whips of various parties refused to budge from their respective stances.
Yogendra Chaudhary, chief whip of the ruling Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik who was present in the meeting, said, “It is highly unlikely for the House meeting to take place on Thursday as both sides are sticking to their guns.”
On Wednesday evening, Speaker Gharti Magar told reporters: “I am doing my
best to find a solution. However, the onus lies with the political parties.” A meeting of the three major parties has been scheduled for Thursday at the initiative of Speaker Gharti Magar.