Govt. not yet reduced to minority: Communist Party of Nepal (UML)

Kathmandu, July 17 (ANI): Communist Party of Nepal (UML) secretary Pradeep Gyawali has claimed that the government had not been reduced to a minority despite the major coalition partner CPN-Maoist Centre pulling out. At an interaction programme organised by Press Chautari Nepal on Saturday, Gyawali reiterated that there was no legal basis to prove that the government was in minority, reports the Himalyan Times. He accused the Nepali Congress and the Maoist Centre of inviting anarchy in the country. "The Speaker has made a serious mistake by forwarding the vote of no-confidence," he said. The Maoists party withdrew its support from Prime Minister Oli-led coalition government, charging the ruling party with failure to implement the past agreements, including gentlemen's agreement to hand over the leadership to them, made with them in the past. It also passed a 'no-confidence motion' against Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to force him to step down from the office after he refused to resign. The Maoist centre also bagged support of the Nepali Congress, the largest party in Parliament which holds 207 seats, in its bid to form a majority government under Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The CPN (UML) now faces the challenge to prove its majority in the Parliament while the Nepali Congress and the Maoist Centre are consulting lawyers and constitutional experts for legal complications in the process of forming a new government. Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli had earlier cited Article 298 of the Constitution, which reads: "The Council of Ministers existing at the time of commencement of this Constitution shall remain until the transformed Legislature-Parliament constitutes a new Council of Ministers;" post which he decided to go through with the floor test instead of resigning from his post. As per Article 298, the government will remain until next parliamentary elections take place. (ANI)