NSP (A) pulls out of SPA

Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi) has severed its ties with the ruling coalition, saying that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala did not sack industry minister Shyam Sundar Gupta, as suggested by the party.

Organising a press conference in the capital on Saturday, NSP (A) president Anandi Devi Singh announced that her party was no more with the ruling alliance, and also announced her resignation as the member of the interim parliament.

She is expected to file her resignation at the parliament secretariat on Sunday.

The NSP (A) president said that the decision to pull out of the alliance was taken after the termination of deadline given to PM Koirala to sack minister Gupta, who leads a separate faction of NSP. She said the party would now start peaceful movement for the rights of the Terai people.

Singh had earlier announced to have expelled Gupta from the party.

However, minister Gupta said the decision to quit the alliance was taken without the consent of the central committee and termed it as a personal decision of the party president. nepalnews.com ia Feb 16 08