Valley
RPP won’t vote for amendment: Thapa
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Kamal Thapa has said the Rastriya Prajatantra Party will rather quit the government than support the constitution amendment bill if it is put to vote.Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Kamal Thapa has said the Rastriya Prajatantra Party will rather quit the government than support the constitution amendment bill if it is put to vote.
“We will quit the government and vote against the amendment,” the RPP chair, who joined the government on Thursday, said at the Reporters’ Club on Monday.
The RPP with 37 lawmakers is the fourth largest party in Parliament and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s move of inducting Thapa and two other RPP leaders into the government on Thursday was seen as part of his attempt to “save the government in case of crisis” and ensure the required numbers in Parliament to get the constitution amendment bill endorsed.
“Have no doubts… our party will vote against the amendment, and by the time the bill is put to vote, all our ministers will have resigned from the government,” said Thapa. “Our main objective of joining the government is stability of the Dahal government and ensuring elections.” “We have maintained that we are not going to support the constitution amendment bill in its present form and our position remains the same,” said DPM Thapa.
He, however, said that the government “is doing its best” to forge consensus with the Madhes-based parties and convince them to participate in locals elections set for May 14.