The Nepali Congress has formally notified Speaker Devraj Ghimire that the party will not support the reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives.
On Sunday afternoon, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire and UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaulā met Speaker Ghimire. During the meeting, Shyam Kumar Ghimire said the party had no unanimous position in favor of reinstatement, making it impossible for the Congress to move in that direction.
In the informal meeting, Ghimire conveyed that the dissenting faction within the party, including General Secretary Gagan Thapa, was not in favor of reinstatement, which prevented the party from taking such a decision.
He reportedly told the Speaker:
“There is no consensus within the party on reinstatement. Dr. Shekhar Koirala’s faction and the General Secretary are not in favor. Therefore, the party will not take a decision supporting reinstatement.”
A party leader said that after the meeting, Congress leaders confirmed to the Speaker that the party would not support House reinstatement.
UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaulā said that their meeting with the Speaker was informal and mainly focused on the current political situation.
“It wasn’t an official meeting. We went because we wished to,” Bartaulā told RatoPati.
“There was no discussion specifically on House reinstatement. The Speaker asked about the political situation, and we briefed him on the current scenario.”
Speaker Ghimire’s press aide Shekhar Adhikari confirmed that Ghimire and Bartaulā had met the Speaker but said he was unaware of the details of their discussion.
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