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Kathmandu Saturday July 07, 2001 Ashadh 23, 2058.
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Prime Minister asks time for
key decision
Post Report
KATHMANDU, July 6 – Prime Minister Girija
Prasad Koirala’s much-awaited decision to whether or not to resign as demanded by the
opposition communists failed to materialize today.
Sources close to both the ruling Nepali Congress
party and the main opposition CPN (UML) said that Koirala today deferred a scheduled
meeting with main opposition leader Madhav Kumar Nepal in which he was expected to provide
the latter with a clear time frame on what steps he was to take.
The 78-year old Prime Minister is said to have
deferred today’s meeting citing health reasons. A top UML leader said, "the PM
has asked for one more day."
Friday was supposed to be a crucial day for
Koirala. On Wednesday, during a meeting with Nepal, the prime minister had promised to
come up with a decision by today on whether or not to resign, and if yes, when exactly he
would do so.
The UML is gunning for Koirala’s
resignation on grounds of alleged corruption in the Lauda Air scandal that has rocked the
government for some months now. Though the communists are positive about the prime
minister’s 14-point national consensus agenda, spelt out last week in parliament,
they still want him to quit to pave the way for a "conducive environment of dialogue
and cooperation."
Sources in the NC say that Koirala is thinking
hard on his options. In the event if he decides to quit, a big if, then the septuagenarian
leader wants to ensure that he is succeeded by someone close to him. In this context,
Koirala is pushing his close confidante, relative and Nepali Congress general secretary
Sushil Koirala as a possible candidate for the Premiership. In fact, the younger Koirala
has already been courting support from NC lawmakers, including from supporters of the
Koirala’s rival Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Meanwhile, Koirala’s resignation issue has
also been percolating inside the halls of parliament. In today’s session, K P Sharma
Oli, a powerful UML leader, reiterated his party’s stand that Prime Minister Koirala
should quit. "Otherwise the cost is going to be expensive for the ruling Nepali
Congress," he said.
"The PM should resign anyhow keeping in
mind the seriousness of the situation," Oli said. "No resignation (of PM
Koirala) would mean that the ruling party have made up their mind to continue this session
without the opposition or that we are heading for a mid-term polls."
During today’s session, the House of
Representatives also extended best wishes to His Majesty King Gyanendra on the occasion of
his 55th Birthday, which is being marked on Saturday.
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