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CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has urged the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) to put an end to the ongoing Parliament impasse.

Talking to the media at Biratnagar Airport today, the former Prime Minister and the Chair of the government coalition partner urged the main opposition to cease the party's obstructions in the House bearing in mind the necessity to proceed with the schedules of endorsing the government policies and programs and announcing the budget for a new fiscal year. "The Nepali Congress should reconsider its stance."

Underlining the need for political consensus, cooperation, and unity to achieve political stability, the leader said the present time requires political parties to address the citizen's concerns.

The level of cooperation, unity, and consensus that political parties demonstrated during the promulgation of the Constitution is once again needed, according to him.

The policies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year 2024/25 have been tabled in the meeting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal tabled the policies and programs in the meeting of the Legislature-Parliament this afternoon amidst protests from the opposition parties.

President Ram Chandra Paudel had presented the government’s policies and programs on May 14.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire announced that the motion of thanks to the President for presenting the government’s policies and programs was endorsed by majority amid sloganeering.

A time has been fixed to discuss the policies and programs.

Lawmakers have been notified to note down their names to take part in the discussions.

In the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane had presented a proposal to withdraw the ‘Ordinance on Political Parties (Second Amendment)-2080’.

Speaker Ghimire announced that the proposal was endorsed by a majority.

On the occasion, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari presented an ordinance amending some Nepal acts related to investment facilitation.

The next meeting of the House of Representatives will be held on Friday.

The main opposition Nepali Congress has maintained its stance not to allow the House to function until a parliamentary committee is formed to investigate Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane in the cooperative case.

Talking to journalists after the meeting of the task force held to prepare the terms of reference (ToR) of the parliamentary probe committee on Tuesday, Nepali Congress Deputy General Secretary Jeevan Pariyar informed that though both ruling and opposition parties are ready to form the committee, his party's stance of not allowing the Parliament to proceed with its business remains the same until it is formed.

“The party has been raising the issue of Lamichhane’s alleged involvement in the cooperative fraud case for the past few weeks. We put our views on the same issue in today’s meeting also. It has been agreed to move ahead by holding further discussions. A meeting is being held to discuss to find ways to forge common consensus on the issue raised by us,” he said, adding, “The House will not function until the parliamentary probe committee is formed.”

The NC has long been obstructing the parliamentary proceedings, alleging the involvement of Deputy Prime Minister Lamichhane in the fraud and demanding the formation of a parliamentary committee to ensure a fair investigation into the case whereas the CPN-UML and RSP in particular have made it clear in no uncertain terms that an individual-centric probe is simply unacceptable.

A meeting of the task force formed to prepare terms of reference (ToR) of the parliamentary probe committee ended inconclusively.

Though the meeting held this morning at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs in Singhadurbar to investigate the cooperative fraud scam discussed the jurisdiction of the parliamentary probe committee, it could not make a concrete decision, CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula informed.

He expressed his belief that there would be no obstruction in the Parliament today and the proceedings would run smoothly.

“Both sides discussed in a cordial environment. They put their views. The decision has not been made yet,” he said, adding, “It has been agreed to resolve the issue in consensus.”

Leader Bartaula informed that a meeting would be held again by holding discussions in their respective parties.

“Both sides are ready to iron out the issue. Lawmakers of both ruling and opposition parties will hold discussions with respective teams and will meet again,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress Deputy General Secretary Jeevan Pariyar said that it has been agreed to move ahead by holding further discussions.

Law Minister Padam Giri, UML Chief Whip Bartaula, Congress Deputy General Secretary Pariyar, Congress leader Gyanendra Karki and Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Shishir Khanal were present in the meeting.

The main opposition Nepali Congress alleged that though the government is ready to form a parliamentary committee, the ruling party is not ready to investigate Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, who is accused of embezzling millions of rupees of a cooperative.