Koirala and Oli file nomination for PM; Gagan Thapa says party’s decision unfortunate

Kathmandu / October 10: CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala registered their nomination for the prime ministerial election on Saturday.

Senior leader of the party Sher Bahadur Deuba proposed Koirala as the PM candidate and party Vice-President Ram Chandra Paudel seconded him. Before filing his nomination, Koirala had called on President Ram Baran Yadav and submitted his resignation from the incumbent PM position. Earlier this morning, top three leaders of the party had decided to field Koirala in the prime ministerial election.

After filing candidacy, Koirala said that he filed the candidacy as per party decision and added that he is ready to cooperate Oli even if he gets elected for the post and also expects same if Koirala wins.

In Oli’s nomination, UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has proposed Oli as a prime ministerial candidate while Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Kamal Thapa seconded the proposal.

Leaders of 12 parties, including UCPN-Maoist, RPP-Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, CPN-ML and Rastriya Janamorcha, and an independent lawmaker have lent support to Oli, indicating an easy majority in his favour. Oli hopes to get support from Nepali Congress as well as ‘National Unity’ is the need of the hour. He added that he is ready to cooperate with all if he win the election for the top post of the country. Meanwhile, CPN-UML and UCPN-Maoist signed a 14-point deal to move ahead.

In a meeting with NC leaders UCPN-Maoist has urged the party not to field candidacy and support CPN-UML leader Oli to maintain national unity. However it is said that India want Koirala’s continuity in the top post and want to check Oli from getting the top post. Koirala remained silent and did not do anything when India imposed blockade to Nepal and the country faced enormous challenge. Koirala and his allies are trying to give the contract of Kathmandu Tarai Fast track to Indian Company at a time India is imposing blockade to the country.

Except Nepali Congress all political parties have agreed to vote Oli in the Prime Ministerial race but Koirala’s candidacy many change the mood of some political parties as India, which always try to impose its will in Nepal, is likely to exert pressure to some political parties especially parties form the Tarai to vote Koirala. CPN-UML has 183 members, UCPN-Maoist 83 (after Baburam Bhattarai resigned), RPP-Nepal 25, RPP 12, CPN-ML 4 and Rastriya Janamorcha 3. Oli is likely to get more than 310 votes while it needs only 299 votes to get victory

It is said that Oli’s victory will help to maintain Nepal’s unity intact as Oli has been standing against India’s interference. All the countrymen stood united against India’s interference despite facing enormous challenges. The mass has been waiting Oli’s victory as Koirala broke his earlier commitment to give government leadership to CPN-UML at the influence of India.

The Parliament Secretariat is scheduled to publish the final list of candidates at 4:30 pm. The House will hold voting at 11 am tomorrow.

Meanwhile, expressing dissatisfaction over the party’s move to file candidacy for the post of Prime Minister, youth leader of the party Gagan Thapa said that the decision is unfortunate and it is influenced from foreign force. He said that the party decision is against the sprite of party decision and alleged that party president took the decision at the tune of India.