Submit your Article

CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma has come down heavily on the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led ruling coalition, likening it to a slow poison for the republic and questioning its commitment to democracy, the Constitution and its conduct of foreign relations. 

Oli launched a multi-pronged attack against the Dahal-led dispensation through his address to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, saying, “This government cannot administer one fatal dose (to democracy and the republican order). Nonetheless, it is acting as a slow poison for democracy and the Constitution. 

He accused the Dahal-led dispensation of suppressing the voices of the people and conspiring to render the Parliament useless by not giving businesses to the House and its committees. 

Oli went on to elaborate the characteristics of the dispensation thus, “While this government does not do what the Constitution has told it to do, it does what the Charter has barred it from doing—without fail”. 

Referring to the recent Cabinet decision to declare Fagun 1—the day the Maoist insurgency was waged 27 years ago (13 Feb 1996)—as a public holiday, the UML chair accused the government of glorifying violence through the move. The decision to celebrate the day has further hurt the sentiments of conflict victims, Oli said, demanding that the next Cabinet meeting withdraw the decision. 

He also protested the government move to grant blanket amnesty to criminals in the name of marking Constitution Day and turning the President into an entity that does the government’s bidding. 

Oli also took the government to task on ongoing investigations into corruption cases. The government opened Lalita Niwas scam files with much hullabaloo, now it is finding it hard to close them, Oli claimed, “The (60-kg) gold-smuggling case is also giving the government a hard time.” 

The government’s good governance campaign is actually aimed at shielding smugglers and murderers, he went on. 

This dispensation has appointed those candidates, who failed exams for district judges, as well as those who helped out election candidates from the ruling dispensation as judges, he maintained, adding that it is futile to hope for a better performance from this government. 

The conduct of diplomacy also came under Oli’s crosshairs as the latter blamed PM Dahal for failing to raise Nepal’s concerns during his recent visits to the United Nations, China and India.   

Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Alice P. Albright said that she was confident and optimistic for timely completion of the MCC project.

Speaking at a press conference, visiting CEO Albright said that she found the Nepal government and other stakeholders effortful with dedication for its implementation as the project has to be completed within five years since its commencement.

"MCA Nepal has the responsibility for MCC implementation. This is a structure under the Nepal government", she added.

CEO Albright shared that projects under MCC have been executed in different parts of the world and stressed the need of cooperation from all sides to overcome challenges to be evolved in the course of its implementation.

Sharing that the high-level meetings and discussions during her Nepal visit were fruitful, she said matters related to the successful implementation of the project were discussed on the occasion.

During her stay, CEO Albright-led delegation had called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud, Minister for Finance Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, Minister for Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala among others.

Noting that MCC has already entered into implementation and she was very excited after the high-level meetings and discussions. Albright expressed her confidence that the project would be completed in the designated period.

The MCC CEO further mentioned that they had agreed and accepted the interpretive declaration attached to MCC while endorsing the MCC related proposal from the parliament.

She further said that MCC was a crucial part of the US foreign grants assistance and its execution believably would further deepen the Nepal-US relations.

Furthermore, CEO Albright expressed her hope that the project would help develop reliable electricity service and road networking as well as open up avenues for electricity export through the construction of transmission lines.

She went on saying that the projects under such grants would contribute to the economic growth of Nepal.

Under the grants, the Nepal government and MCC have anticipated improvements of roads and enhanced reliable access of Nepali people to the clean and affordable energy, she said, adding it would help strengthen energy and transport sectors.                                                                  

Saying that the Nepal government itself has also made investment in the project, CEO Albright said that the Nepal government has shown strong commitment to the project keeping it under the national pride project category.

Also on the occasion, US Ambassador Dean Thompson and MCA Nepal's Executive Director Khadga Bahadur Bista also responded to the queries of journalists on the project affairs.

The MCC compact has already entered into execution since last August 30.

The MCC compact was signed between the Nepal government and MCC under the US government on 14 September 2017.

After a long debate, the Parliament had endorsed the compact last year.

There is a provision in the compact that the power transmission lines and roads construction project should be completed within five years since the commencement of the project execution.

Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has briefed the party about his recent visit to the United States of America to attend the 78th Session of United Nations General Assembly and the subsequent official visit to China.

In a meeting of the party office-bearers today, Dahal said Nepal's participation in the UNGA had helped promote Nepal's identity globally.  "From Nepal's participation in the UN mega event, the world community could know about Nepal better."

Talking about his visit to the northern neighbor, the Prime Minister said bilateral agreements and understandings reached during the visit were of long-term importance for Nepal's development, according to party Vice-Chairman and spokesperson Agni Prasad Sapkota.

"The meeting with the UN general secretary and other meetings held on the sidelines of the event were important," the Prime Minister was quoted as saying in the party meeting.

The Prime Minister was learnt to have described the agreement for cooperation between the National Planning Commission and China's National Development and Reform Commission, on the development of cross-border transmission lines and on agriculture and science technology as important ones.

 The meeting instructed the party leaders and cadres to contribute to making the ' transformation campaign' launched by the party since September 2 successful.

Prime Minister Dahal Dahal had on September 16 departed for the United Nations headquarters in New York and had directly embarked on the China visit from there, beginning on September 23.  He returned home on September 30.

Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Alice P. Albright paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday.

During the meeting, the duo discussed various aspects of the Nepal-US cooperation including the MCC projects, the PM’s Secretariat said.

On Monday, the MCC CEO held a separate meeting with CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, Energy Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation Prakash Jwala.

The leaders discussed the ways for the successful implementation of the MCC projects.

Currently, MCC CEO Albright is in Nepal to celebrate the MCC's entry into force.