Deuba becomes NC parliamentary party leader; says more responsibility on his shoulders

Kathmandu / April 6: Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba has said he has grave responsibility on his shoulders now with his election to the post of Parliamentary Party leader.

Deuba said so talking to media persons after his election to the post in the election of the Legislature-Parliament NC parliamentary party leader today.

He garnered 139 votes and party senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel 67 in the election to the parliamentary party leader held today. The Nepali Congress has 207 lawmakers.

“This election is the internal democratic exercise of the party. There is no win and loss, it is the question of only who got what responsibility,” he said.

Stating that the Nepali Congress brought democracy to Nepal by throwing out the Rana oligarchy and the Panchayat autocracy, the NC president reiterated the party’s paramount role also in establishing the republic in the country.

He gave examples of the Nepali Congress playing pivotal role in all the big political movements that have taken place so far in the country, recalling that the party leaders the late BP Koirala, Ganeshman Singh, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, among others, had made a big sacrifice and contribution to that end.

The NC president vowed that nobody who works against democracy would be tolerated now. “We got to work towards making the country prosperous and strengthening the federal democratic republic. I will dedicate myself to this as far as my capacity,” he said.

About his contender leader Poudel, Deuba said he would always need Poudel’s support and that he would steer the party ahead, strengthening it and taking Poudel into confidence.

Reiterating that he and his party were seriously working towards resolving the current problems facing the country, he said there was the immediate need for reconstructing the physical infrastructures damaged by the earthquake and the proper management of the earthquake survivors.

The main opposition party leader in the parliament Deuba also said that the judiciary should be freed from political interference, adding that the party would work for the effective implementation of the constitution by resolving the reasonable issues of the Madhes through consensus.

Pointing out that he would work for establishing lasting peace and sustainable democracy in the country, he said, “There is no alternative to bringing in foreign direct investment so that the youths who are abroad on overseas employment would return home. All should dedicate to this cause.”

Reasoning that the ruling side could become dictatorial in the absence of a strong opposition in a multi-party democracy, the NC president and parliamentary party leader said that the Nepali Congress would play the role of a constructive opposition for that purpose. RSS