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Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal left Kathmandu for Colombo, Sri Lanka today to attend the 75th Independence Day celebrations of Sri Lanka. The Minister will be participating in the 75th Independence Day functions as an honored guest in Colombo from February 3-4. She will be received by a Sri Lankan lawmaker at Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo Airport). In Colombo, the Foreign Minister is scheduled to meet her counterpart M.U.M. Ali Sabry and attend the cultural festival ‘LankaraLanka’ to be organized by the Presidential Secretariat in Independence Square on February 3. The Foreign Minister will attend the 75th Independence Day Celebration functions to be organized at Galle Face Green. She will pay courtesy calls on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena of Sri Lanka, and attend the reception hosted by the President at the President’s House February 4, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Minister is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on February 5.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire has pointed out the need to make the role of the Parliament accountable and effective. Hence, the parliamentarians should play a responsible role in uplifting the dignity of the Parliament, he said. Inaugurating an orientation on 'Parliamentary Procedures and Practices' organized by the Federal Parliament Secretariat today for the members of the House of Representatives, he said that there have been some reports that some of the past parliamentary practices were not responsive to the people and hence it is necessary to make the parliamentary role effective. Mentioning that the government has a role in making the Parliament effective, he said that the government should also coordinate with the opposition parties in this regard. Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan said the parliamentary responsibilities can be fulfilled only with efficient adoption of the parliamentary rules and procedures. The conduct and ideas presented here should be dignified and in accordance with the parliamentary norms. Deputy Speaker Indira Rana said that the role of the Deputy Speaker in the Parliament should be made effective, as people saw it only as a secondary role. She also said that the people's representatives should become accountable towards the people through the parliamentary procedures.

CPN-UML Chairman and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has claimed that the Rastriya Swatantra Party will get the Home Ministry. Speaking to journalists at the Biratnagar Airport on Thursday, Oli asserted that the agreement reached in the coalition should be implemented. He claimed that the Home Ministry will not be given to other parties other than the Rastriya Swatantra Party. Leader Oli made it clear that there has been an agreement between Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and himself on the issue. “It has been agreed to give the Home Ministry to the Rastriya Swatantra Party. But, it is up to the party to choose the minister,” he said, adding, “There is no need to wait for the full text of the Supreme Court for the decision pertaining to the Home Ministry.”  

The Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to sit for talks with other political parties in view of the election of the Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA). A meeting of the Executive Committee of the NC held today agreed to hold discussions and consultations with the parties in the opposition alliance and others in the ruling alliance as well in regard with the election, according to NC Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak. The meeting that took place at Deuba’s Dhumbarahi-based residence decided to hold talks with the parties in the opposition alliance: the CPN (Unified Socialist), Loktantrik Samajbadi Party and the Rastriya Janamorcha. The election of the Vice-Chair of the upper house has been scheduled for February 6. The NC is holding its Parliamentary Party meeting at 1:00 pm on February 9 at the Lhotse Hall of the Parliament building in New Baneshwor. In addition to this, the party is internally preparing for the election of the President scheduled for March 9.