UML offers congratulations to PM Deuba

The CPN UML parliamentary party deputy leader Subas Chandra Nembang has extended best wishes to the newly-appointed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Deputy leader Nembang congratulated the PM on behalf of the parliamentary party, the party leader and own.

Congratulating PM Deuba in the House of Representatives today, the UML parliamentary party deputy leader said: "We have got a new Prime Minister. I stand here to congratulate him. I have some queries and I want to draw the attention through the Speaker."

Nepali Congress president Deuba was appointed to the post of prime Minister on July 29 in line with the Supreme Court's mandamus.

Nembang recalled that the UML has experience of friendship and co-work with PM Deuba in parliament since 1991. "We will play the role of a responsible opposition. We need to be cognizant of the kind of culture we want to develop," he reiterated.

Stating that the Supreme Court's verdict has weakened the maintaining of separation of power among the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary, Nembang, the Chair of the then Constituent Assembly, argued that taking a fresh mandate of the people and electing people's representatives through election could not be termed as 'autocracy'.

"There should be balance and coordination on the basis of the principle of separation of power. We feel that the verdict has disturbed this balance and I want to draw the Prime Minister's attention to it," the deputy leader of the main opposition party said, adding that the UML will play the role of a responsible opposition and term the wrong moves of the government wrong and call spade a spade. He added that the main opposition would monitor each and every ministry and keep a watch regarding the government's functioning.

"We will keep in touch with you and will not enter into an alliance with others in the party," Nembang said, adding that the people should be assured the country would not revert back from the principle of the separation of power, the balance of power, democracy and party discipline that have been provided for through the people-drafted constitution although the parties might, have differing views and differences, in principle, on several topics and issues.

He wondered how democratic it was to say that the party whip would be effective in own party while it would not be effective in the case of other parties. "The provision that the party does not have control over the parliamentarian elected on party ticket taking the party's election symbol would not support in institutionalizing and nurturing democracy and the party system," he said referring to the Supreme Court's interpretation of the constitutional provision in its verdict.

The UML parliamentary party deputy leader drew the Prime Minister's attention to the delay in the Cabinet expansion. He assured of his party's full cooperation and backing to the government in taking the peace process to completion and in the successful implementation of the topics as Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura.

The UML parliamentary party deputy leader wished success in fulfilling the national aspiration, 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali', brought to take the nation towards development and prosperity.