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CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and main opposition Nepali Congress leader Dhanraj Gurung had a verbal exchange in the Parliament on Thursday.

They had a verbal exchange when the Parliament meeting was underway.

Oli and Gurung had some verbal exchange about whether or not to allow Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, accused of embezzling the cooperative funds, to speak in the Parliament.

The Congress lawmakers chanted slogans in protest soon after the Parliament meeting commenced this afternoon.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire, however, continued the Parliament proceedings ignoring the protest by the Nepali Congress.

He read out the letter from the President’s Office and gave Home Minister Lamichhane time to speak.

In the meantime, Congress leaders barred Home Minister Lamichhane from going to the rostrum. Oli tried to convince the Congress lawmakers.

At the same time, Congress leader Dhanraj Gurung pointed a finger at Chairman Oli and traded verbal barbs. After that, former Prime Minister Oli became aggressive.

Following the incident, Speaker Ghimire postponed the meeting till 11 am tomorrow.

The main opposition Nepali Congress has decided to continue the House obstruction.

A meeting of the senior leaders of the party held in Singha Durbar decided to continue the obstruction until a parliamentary probe committee is formed to investigate fraud charges against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.

Congress spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat accused the ruling coalition of trying to get away by saying that it would only investigate the issue of cooperatives apart from Lamichhane.

“The issue of cooperatives should be investigated. But Rabi ji is also embroiled in the case of embezzling the funds of the cooperative. Police have not taken that case ahead. That is why we demanded the formation of a parliamentary probe committee,” he said.

Leader Mahat further said that the issue of Lamichhane should also be included while forming the parliamentary committee.

“No consensus has been forged to resume the Parliament yet. The issue of Home Minister Lamichhane should also be included in the cooperative embezzlement case. The ruling coalition is not ready for that,” he said.

Sudurpaschim Province Chief Minister Dirgha Sodari secured a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly on Thursday.

He received 28 votes while none of the lawmakers voted against him.

A total of 28 lawmakers were present in the meeting.

Nepali Congress and Nagarik Unmukti Party (Resham Chaudhary’s faction) stayed neutral.

They did not take part in the voting process.

CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center), Nagarik Unmukti Party (Ranita’s camp) and independent lawmakers vote in favor of Chief Minister Sodari.

Soon after the meeting commenced, Nepali Congress and Nagarik Unmukti Party Chaudhary’s camp had chanted slogans in protest.

The boycotted the meeting after the Speaker proceeded with the voting process amid protest.

Sodari was appointed as the chief minister with the support of UML, Maoist Center, Nagarik Unmukti Party and independent lawmakers.

A discussion among the Nepali Congress lawmakers is underway after the postponement of the meeting of the House of Representatives.

The main opposition Nepali Congress has taken a stance that it would not allow the House of function until a parliamentary committee is formed to probe fraud charges against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.

Home Minister Lamichhane has not been able to speak about the allegations leveled against him by the Congress in the Parliament.

During a Parliamentary Party meeting held on Wednesday, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli had said that his party would retaliate if the Nepali Congress obstructed the Parliament meeting.

Congress has adopted flexibility to allow Lamichhane to speak after Oli warned that the UML would speak if Lamichhane is not allowed to speak in today’s Parliament meeting.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal this morning held a meeting with the leaders of ruling coalition and the main opposition Congress to discuss the House deadlock and forming a parliamentary probe committee.

NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba has become flexible after Prime Minister Dahal urged him to allow Home Minister Lamichhane to speak in the Parliament and form the parliamentary committee later, Congress Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak said.

“The meeting of the Congress lawmakers is underway. I am also going. Prime Minister Dahal had urged the party President Deuba to allow Home Minister Lamichhane to speak in the Parliament and form the parliamentary probe committee later,” he said, adding, “President Sher Bahadur Deuba is also positive on the same. A meeting is underway to take opinion from other friends on the issue.”

They have demanded that the Congress should also be allowed to speak after Lamichhane expressed his views.

A Parliament meeting scheduled for 11 am has been postponed for 4 pm today.