KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has categorically denied rumors of a possible change in the ruling coalition. Speaking to reporters at Tribhuvan International Airport after returning from Thailand, Deuba said, “There is no possibility of a change in the power equation. These are just rumors.

Deuba’s statement comes amid rising political chatter over a potential new alliance, especially after opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ told a Maoist parliamentary party meeting that he would hold formal talks with Deuba about forming a new coalition upon his return.

Alongside Deuba, his wife and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana also returned from Bangkok and addressed the speculation. She said the trip was strictly personal and related to medical check-ups. “There was no political agenda, no meetings. These government-change rumors are baseless,” she said. On the issue of speculation, she added, “You yourself called it a rumor. In Nepal, when there’s a lull in politics, entertaining news starts floating around.

A government can’t be toppled from abroad—it has to happen from within the country.” Rana did, however, confirm that Deuba had a phone conversation with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli while still in Thailand.

“Yes, there was a telephone conversation between President Deuba and PM Oli yesterday,” she stated, adding fuel to speculation despite both sides denying any talk of coalition restructuring.