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CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal said that his party cannot join the ruling coalition. During a politburo meeting held on Monday, Nepal said that his party cannot join the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government. “We are doing good in the current political situation. We are not going to bow down just for joining the government.  Our party cannot join the ruling alliance. We want to move ahead by keeping the country's interests at the center,” he said. A Standing Committee meeting held on Saturday and Sunday had failed to make a decision on the issue of supporting the government. Leaders within the party have been expressing differing views on the issue of taking part in the government. Some leaders have been saying that they should only support the current government while some have stressed that they should participate in the government.  

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal will take the vote of confidence on January 10. Prime Minister Dahal wrote to the Federal Parliamentary Secretariat General Secretary Bharat Raj Gautam to make arrangements for him to take the vote of confidence on January 10. He will take the vote of confidence in the meeting of the Parliament. Dahal, who is also the Chairman of the CPN (Maoist Center), presented the claim for the top executive post with the support of 169 lawmakers. He took the oath of office and secrecy from President Bidya Devi Bhandari on December 26. There is a provision in the Constitution of Nepal that the PM should take the vote of confidence within 30 days of being appointed to the post. CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center), Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Rastriya Swatantra Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Janata Samajbadi Party, and Janamat Party are the ruling coalition parties. Three independent lawmakers are also in the ruling alliance. Dahal became the prime minister with the support of seven political parties and three independent lawmakers.  

After the breakup of the erstwhile ruling coalition, the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led CPN (United Socialist) seems to be in a dilemma on whether to join the government or stay in the opposition. After its split with the CPN-UML, it’s a given that the two parties are not on good terms. Many critics argue that the new ruling coalition under the CPN (Maoist Center) and the CPN-UML has endangered the future of the newly formed CPN (US). Against this backdrop, Pratik Ghimire of ApEx talked to Jagannath Khatiwada, deputy general secretary and head of the party’s publicity department.

Who do you think is responsible for the breakup of the previous coalition? Nepali Congress or the CPN (Maoist Center)?

For me, both parties are equally responsible. Sher Bahadur Deuba had pledged Pushpa Kamal Dahal premiership (for the first half of the five-year term), but he reneged on his promise. Congress, at first, cheated the Maoist Center. Partners in the previous coalition have always felt that Congress was dominating and insulting. Dahal had reiterated that he would never break the coalition for position and power. What he did is there for all to see. Dahal broke the coalition in the interest of regressive forces. So, he is responsible too.

Leaders of the Maoist Center point out that UML had shown regressive tendencies during the previous parliament. In their eyes, is the UML regressive no more?

That force was regressive a couple of days ago as well. After offering premiership to the Maoist party, the UML is no longer regressive? It has become progressive, automatically? Our party has no problem with the Maoist Chair Dahal becoming the prime minister. But he quit the previous ruling coalition without discussing the matter or giving anything in writing. That's where the problem lies.

Is it right for your party to join the new ruling coalition?

We have seen UML’s behavior and even experienced their domination for quite long. So, we will hold discussions within the party and think it through before making a decision. On what terms has this coalition taken shape? We have no idea. We have a bit of time to think about these things and make a decision. Our party will wait, watch and decide.

Are there any discussions in your party about merging with the Maoist Center or the UML?

It is not an agenda of the party’s working committee. But a few rounds of talks took place on the matter and we were positive on starting homework for the road ahead. But this chapter is closed for now.

Then when will we see expansion of your party organization at the district and local level?

The standing committee of the party has already met. Our party will soon call meetings of the central committee and the politburo. These meetings will decide our further political course and expansion of the party organization. We are committed to making long-term plans for the party.

Pokhara International Airport, the third international airport of Nepal, was inaugurated amidst a grand ceremony on Sunday. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who had reached the lake city to inaugurate the airport, said that the dream of the people of Kaski has been fulfilled. He also claimed that the Pokhara International Airport will contribute to the economy of the country. While the dream of Pokharelis has been coming true after a long wait of five decades, China, however, has made a controversial claim about it. The Kathmandu-based Chinese Embassy said that the Pokhara International Airport is the flagship project of the China-Nepal BRI cooperation. “The Pokhara International Airport is the flagship project of the China-Nepal BRI cooperation. Congratulations to Nepal and the Nepali people,” the Chinese Embassy wrote in its Twitter account. Nepal, however, has not made any decision on the model to be adopted for the BRI Project. Former ambassador Bijayakanta Karna said that China has made a false claim. He said that China made a false claim by providing a loan at a high interest rate. According to Karna, Pokhara International Airport was built with a $215.96 million loan from the EXIM Bank of China, whose interest rate is the highest ever. “Pokhara International Airport was constructed by taking a loan at a high interest rate from the EXIM Bank of China. The Nepal government has to pay both loan and interest from March,” he said. He claimed that the Pokhara International Airport will not be included in the nine projects selected by the Chinese government. “We have heard that the nine projects of BRI have been selected. But, the Pokhara International Airport is not included even in the nine projects,” the former ambassador said. He said that the Pokhara International Airport was built with an expensive investment. “It was said that the airport will be completed in four years. But, it was inaugurated in seven years. Still, there are some works to be completed. This is an expensive airport in terms of investment as well. The airport was built with more investment than the proposed budget,” Karna said. He said that China is trying to get close with Nepal after the formation of Communist government. Karna was of the opinion that the Chinese side has started the feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu to show the proximity. “China is trying to get closer with Nepal after the formation of a new government under the Communist alliance. The feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway has also been started. But, the railway will not be built,” he said. China has entrusted Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group Co., Ltd with the responsibility to carry out a feasibility study of the Kerung-Kathmandu railway. The company has deployed six engineers for the feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway. During the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Nepal, the Nepal government said that BRI cannot be brought on a loan. The then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka had said that the BRI Project cannot be implemented immediately, saying that there should be a thorough discussion on the modality among other issues of the project. Nepal had signed the BRI Project in 2017. Five years have already passed after signing the agreement, no significant progress has been made on the project. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had asked the Nepal government through then Prime Minister Deuba and Foreign Minister Khadka to clear its position on the BRI Project. In response, Deuba had said that Nepal could not afford the loan at a time when the country’s economy is already in crisis.