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The Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML have signed an agreement to amend the constitution adopted in 2015, aiming to address the nation's current crises. Achieving these ambitious goals requires substantial unity, maturity, and understanding between the parties. Leaders from both NC and UML assert that the parties have committed to cooperation at least until the next elections in 2027.

However, the critical question remains: Can these two parties maintain harmony in government? This concern arises from their historical track record. For example, in 2018, the UML and Maoist Center merged to form a new party and government, promising political stability and development. Yet, internal conflicts among top leaders—KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal—led to the collapse of both the government and the party, plunging the country into renewed instability.  Similarly, NC and UML failed to collaborate effectively after the 2015 constitution amendment.

The current agreement is the result of at least three months of back-channel negotiations between UML Chairperson Oli and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba, along with key facilitators. The agreement was kept secret until Monday. Oli and Deuba initially favored an additional month for thorough preparations, but a leak of the agreement necessitated prompt decisions, hence their cautious approach to forming the government.

The primary task of the new coalition government will be the critical and complex constitution amendment. This requires consensus among the major parties that supported the 2015 constitution drafting process. Consequently, NC and UML are focusing on forming a national unity government. A leader involved in the negotiations stated: “The two parties plan to amend several provisions in phases, starting with changes to the electoral system, followed by other issues.”

The NC-UML alliance also aims to counter challenges from emerging parties like the Rastriya Swatantra Party and independent candidates such as Kathmandu's Mayor Balendra Shah. Although NC and UML are principal competitors, they view these new parties as a common threat to their voter bases. 

To address these challenges, the new NC-UML coalition must tackle corruption, ensure good governance, create jobs, and initiate plans for economic recovery. Failure to address these issues will likely provoke a backlash against the coalition government. Following the agreement, both parties have expedited the process of forming a new government, with formal endorsements from their respective parties, and are now waiting for Prime Minister Dahal’s resignation. 

In the absence of a single-party majority, the government formation process will proceed under Article 76(2) of the constitution, which allows for a coalition government. NC and UML have urged Dahal to resign to facilitate the formation of a national unity government. Although they have signed a document focusing on government formation and constitutional amendments, it has not yet been made public. On Wednesday, NC endorsed the agreements, although party leaders have not yet reviewed the document.

NC has also urged Prime Minister Dahal to resign promptly. The party argues that since more than two-thirds of Parliament members oppose him, Dahal should step down on moral and political grounds. However, Dahal cites the constitutional provision granting him 30 days to seek a vote of confidence after a coalition member withdraws support. According to the agreement between NC and UML, Oli will be appointed as prime minister under Article 76(2) of the constitution. Given the agreement to form a national unity government, NC insists it is imperative for Dahal to step aside.

To achieve their objectives, NC and UML must garner broader support from other parties. By Wednesday, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the Mahantha Thakur-led Loktantrik Samajbadi Party had pledged their support for the NC-UML coalition. The coalition's base is expected to expand with additional parties joining the alliance.

Key contents of the agreement between NC and UML

• Promoting national interest
• Taming corruption to maintain good governance
• Maintaining political stability
• Amendment the constitution after a thorough review
• Strengthening economy
• Rotational leadership between Oli and Deuba 

UML withdraws support to government

CPN-UML has officially withdrawn its support to the government, effectively rendering the Dahal-led government into a minority. UML leader Mahesh Bartaula said: “We gave Prime Minister Dahal the opportunity to pave the way for the formation of a national government, but he didn’t do so. Hence we have decided to withdraw the support.” With the UML, the major coalition partner in the Dahal government, pulling out its support, Prime Minister Dahal now has two options: Resign on moral grounds or to take a vote of confidence. Dahal has maintained that he will go for a floor test in Parliament.

Nepali Congress has said that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal should pave the way by stepping down.

The Central Works Execution Committee meeting held at party President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s residence in Budhanilkantha concluded that the Prime Minister should put in papers as the two largest parties in the Parliament have already reached an agreement to form a national government.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, spokesperson Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said that the Prime Minister should help in forming a new government by tendering his resignation.

“The Prime Minister should pave the way if the two largest parties are saying that they are forming a new government. We have urged him to resign,” he said.

But Prime Minister Dahal is in no mood to resign immediately.

ALSO READ: Story behind formation of new coalition

Leader Mahat informed that the meeting has endorsed the agreement reached between the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML to form a new government.

“The meeting has endorsed the agreement that UML chair KP Sharma Oli will lead the government initially to push for constitutional amendments and then hand over power to NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba to conduct the 2027 elections,” he said.

Mahat further went on to say that the party will decide on the names of the ministers to be sent to the government later.

The Nepali Congress said that it has decided to cooperate with the CPN-UML to address the issues of common people.

After an office bearers meeting held at Budhanilkantha on Tuesday morning, spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat informed that the party has decided to form an alliance with the UML for political stability, good governance and economic reform.

He said that an agreement has been signed on Monday night that a national consensus government will be formed under the headship of UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba will lead the government after one-and-a-half years.

Spokesperson Mahat further said that an agreement has also been reached to make necessary amendments to the Constitution.

He went on to say that discussions are also being held to rope in other parties in the government.

Leader Mahat made it clear that the UML-NC alliance was the demand of time to take the country towards the path of stability.

CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel said that a joint government of UML and Nepali Congress will be formed for political stability.

He said that other parties will also be incorporated in the KP Sharma Oli-led national government.

General Secretary Pokharel, who had played an important role to bring Nepali Congress and UML to one place, informed that an agreement has been reached with the Congress to amend the Constitution for political stability.

Taking to Facebook, leader Pokharel said: “An agreement has been reached between UML and Nepali Congress to form a national consensus government under the leadership of KP Sharma Oli to necessary amendments to the Constitution and to formulate laws for political stability.” “The parties, who agreed to this process, will be included in the national government.”

Also Read: Are NC and UML trying to form a national unity govt?

In the 275-member House of Representatives, Nepali Congress has 88 seats while UML has 79.

Fringe parties should be included to secure a two-thirds majority.

Attempts to form the ruling alliance of Congress and UML were being made for a long time.

UML General Secretary Pokharel has been taking the initiatives.

The main opposition Nepali Congress has agreed to form a parliamentary probe committee without mentioning the name of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.

The Parliamentary Party meeting held on Tuesday decided to form a parliamentary probe committee without mentioning the name of any particular person in the cooperative fraud scam.

After the meeting, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak said that the task force would give the final shape.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of former General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula after party President Sher Bahadur Deuba was not feeling well.

Lekhak said that the names of additional members will be sent to the parliamentary secretariat after the terms of reference (ToR) of the committee is finalized.

Currently, Deputy General Secretary Jeevan Pariyar and Gyanendra Bahadur Karki are in the task force from Nepali Congress.

Leader Lekhak claimed that a proposal will be tabled in the Parliament meeting at 4 pm today to endorse the agreement along with ToR.

The Congress has long been obstructing the House proceedings demanding formation of a parliamentary probe committee by mentioning the name of Home Minister Lamichhane in the cooperative fraud case.

Now, the House obstruction will be cleared from today after the Congress expressed its readiness to form a parliamentary committee without mentioning the name of any particular person.

The main opposition Nepali Congress took to the streets against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane on Sunday.

Congress lawmakers and leaders of the party’s sister organizations staged a protest in the Capital this afternoon demanding formation of a parliamentary probe committee to investigate Lamichhane’s alleged involvement in the misappropriation of cooperative funds.

The Nepali Congress, which has been protesting against Home Minister Lamichhane in the Parliament, launched street protests against him from today.

Congress General Secretary duo Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma, Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak and lawmaker Ram Hari Khatiwada among others attended the protest program organized at the Exhibition Road in Kathmandu.

Opposition parties including the Nepali Congress obstructed the Parliament meeting on Sunday.

Soon after the meeting commenced, lawmakers from the opposition parties stood from their respective seats in a gesture of protest.

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 that an individual-centric probe is simply unacceptable.

The Parliament meeting scheduled for today has been postponed without entering its business due to the obstruction from the main opposition Nepali Congress.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire postponed the meeting for 11 am on Sunday following obstruction from the Congress, the Parliament Secretariat informed.

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 that an individual-centric probe is simply unacceptable.

The Nepali Congress, the main opposition party in the Federal Parliament, has decided to hit the streets demanding a parliamentary inquiry against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, who faces charges of misappropriating cooperative funds, his resignation and return of cooperative depositors’ embezzled funds.

The joint meeting of the Congress Central Committee and the Parliamentary Party held on Wednesday decided to stage a demonstration on Friday in Kathmandu and also organize protests outside the Kathmandu valley thereafter. 

The Congress central meeting maintained that Lamichhane should not remain in power because he had used rude, violent and insulting words in the parliament, a leader participating in the meeting informed, adding that it also decided to demand the recouping of cooperative victims’ embezzled deposits.

The government is heading on the path of authoritarianism instead of forming a parliamentary probe committee to look into cases of cooperative fraud, leaving Congress leaders with no other option than organizing protests against such an undemocratic culture, said Dila Sangraula, Congress central member and lawmaker.

“Now, Congress leaders will take to the streets. We have decided to stage the protest not only in the Parliament but also on the roads. Our protest will continue until the parliamentary probe committee is formed and the victims of cooperatives get justice,” she said.

Earlier, the major ruling and opposition parties represented in the Federal Parliament failed to agree on the terms of reference (ToR) for the parliamentary committee to investigate the issue of cooperative fraud, rendering Sunday’s meeting of the working group at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs inconclusive. 

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 that an individual-centric probe is simply unacceptable.

The main opposition Nepali Congress is to organize a mass meeting in Kathmandu on Friday demanding formation of a parliamentary probe committee to investigate cooperative fraud charges against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.

A joint meeting of the Central Committee and Parliamentary Party decided to organize a mass assembly for the justice of the victims of cooperatives.

Congress central member and lawmaker Dila Sangraula said that the government is heading on the path of authoritarianism instead of forming a parliamentary probe committee to look into cooperative fraud cases.

She said that the Congress leaders are compelled to hit the streets against the undemocratic culture of the government.

“Now, Congress leaders will take to the streets. We have decided to stage the protest not only in the Parliament but also on the roads. Our protest will continue until the parliamentary probe committee is formed and the victims of cooperatives get justice,” she said.

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 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.

The main opposition Nepali Congress has expressed dissatisfaction over the role of Speaker Devraj Ghimire, accusing him of being biased.

Determining that the role of Speaker Ghimire in today's meeting of the House of Representatives was not compatible with his position, a meeting of the NC Parliamentary Party held today raised questions over it.

The party questioned the role of the Speaker, saying the Speaker forwarded the agenda of the Parliament meeting amidst the protest and sloganeering of the opposition party. "A situation where a person in the position of the Speaker of the Parliament is used as a party member undermines the parliamentary norms and values. So, this meeting draws the serious attention of the Speaker to carry out activities in order to protect the parliamentary norms and values' ', reads the decision.

The NC Parliamentary Party meeting blamed the Speaker for forwarding the proposal related to a vote of confidence of the Prime Minister amidst protests and sloganeering of the opposition party and not allowing NC lawmakers to put forth their views. 

At a news conference organized to inform about the meeting of the NC Parliamentary Party, Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak said the Speaker should not behave like a party cadre.  The meeting drew the conclusion that the Parliament meeting should not be run by ignoring the democratic and parliamentary norms and values.

Chief Whip Lekhak mentioned that instead of forming a parliamentary probe committee as per the demand of the opposition parties, it was not appropriate to complete the process of taking a vote of confidence even after having enough time for the same.

All opposition parties in the Parliament including the NC have been demanding formation of a parliamentary probe committee to ensure free and impartial investigation on embezzlement of cooperative funds.

CPN-UML Vice Chair Bishnu Prasad Paudel has urged the main opposition Nepali Congress to follow the democratic practice and end the deadlock in the Parliament.

In today's meeting of the House of Representatives, Poudel supported the proposal the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal presented in the House seeking a vote of confidence in accordance with Article 100, Sub-article 2 of the Constitution of Nepal and hoped for end to the deadlock in the Parliament for political stability in the country.

"I request all the parties to support the government to speed up development in the country while maintaining political stability. I call upon the Nepali Congress to reconsider its role and follow democratic practices in the Parliament," Poudel said.

Vice Chair Poudel claimed that the current government has given a message of guaranteeing good governance, disillusionment surfaced at the civil level has been eradicated and hope is being communicated through recent efforts made by the government.

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.

The Parliament meeting has been postponed for 15 minutes following obstructions from the main opposition Nepali Congress.

Soon after the meeting commenced, the lawmakers from the opposition parties including the Nepali Congress started chanting slogans.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire postponed the meeting for 15 minutes after the Congress lawmakers obstructed the proceedings.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is scheduled to seek a vote of confidence from the House of Representatives today.

The Congress has been obstructing the Parliament demanding formation of a parliamentary probe committee to investigate fraud charges against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.

Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane has said that the Nepali Congress offered him prime ministership for one-and-a-half years.

Addressing the Parliament meeting on Sunday, Lamichhane questioned the Congress how he can be the prime minister if he is not eligible to serve as the home minister.

“If I am not eligible to be the prime minister, what ethics will let me to be the prime minister. I would like to put this question to Parliament today,” he said “It would be better if Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba answer this issue in the Parliament. Is it good to obstruct the Parliament after I turned down the offer of prime ministership? Is the demand of the parliamentary probe committee lawful?” he questioned. 

He denied all the allegations and directed the police administration to arrest him if he is found guilty.

Home Minister Lamichhane said that he was not involved in the cooperative fraud and is ready to face action if the allegations leveled against him are proven.