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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the 'Mountains, Human and Climate Change: International Dialogue of Experts' in Kathmandu today by pouring water to a plant.

The dialogue is organized to draw the attention of the international community to the impact of climate change on the mountains. Also, it is to strengthen action based on mountain ecosystems.

Experts from 25 countries, mountainous and small island countries, international community, development partners, international NGOs, private sector and civil society representatives are participating in the dialogue.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Bhutan's Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Lyonpo Younten Phuntsho, Bangladesh's Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Saber Hussain Chaudhary, President of the UN Assistant Agency for Scientific and Technical Advice on Climate Change (SABTA) Harry Bhireu, Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal, chiefs and officials of diplomatic missions here as well as high-ranking officials of Nepal government are present.

The speeches of distinguished speakers are continuing in the dialogue.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday secured a vote of confidence at the House of Representatives yet again—his fourth trust vote since assuming office on 26 Dec 2022—even as the main opposition party, the Nepali Congress, continued with its strident protest demanding a parliamentary investigation into Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane’s alleged involvement in a cooperative fraud. 

The development comes days after a vertical split in the Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal (JSPN), the resignation of JSPN Chair Upendra Yadav as Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Upendra Yadav and Minister of State for Health Deepak Karki, and emergence of the breakaway faction, JSP, as a partner in the Dahal-led coalition government.          

At the day’s second meeting of the lower chamber of the Federal Parliament, Prime Minister Dahal sought a trust vote after getting a go-ahead from Speaker Devraj Ghimire, amidst a loud protest from Congress lawmakers, who shouted slogans against the procedures to present PM Dahal’s proposal to obtain the trust vote and picketed the well. Expressing solidarity with the Congress, lawmakers from other opposition parties stood from their seats during the proceedings.

Despite the opposition bench’s show of strength, the Dahal-led coalition government passed yet another crucial floor test as Speaker Ghimire announced that 157 out of 158 lawmakers in the 275-member HoR, who took part in the vote of confidence procedures, voted for the government while one chose to remain neutral.

The major opposition has been obstructing parliamentary proceedings, demanding the establishment of a parliamentary committee to impartially investigate the alleged involvement of Deputy Prime Minister Lamichhane in the misappropriation of cooperative funds.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dahal, responding to questions related to the trust vote later in the day, accused the main opposition party of demonstrating unparliamentary behavior by not creating a conducive environment for a Prime Minister to seek a vote of confidence in line with the Constitution. 

“You supported me as the prime minister in the past, but today you tried to obstruct the House and prevent me from seeking a vote of confidence. This incident will go down as a blot in parliamentary history,” PM Dahal said, referring to the Congress. 

He thanked the CPN-UML and other parties and parliamentarians, who voted for his government. 

UML Vice-chair Bishnu Prasad Poudel, who  seconded PM Dahal’s proposal seeking a trust vote for his government in accordance with Article 100 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, requested the Congress to uphold democratic norms and values by ending the deadlock in the parliament. 

“I request all the parties to support the government to speed up national development by contributing to political stability. I call upon the Nepali Congress in particular to reconsider its role and follow democratic practices in the parliament,” Poudel said. 

Dahal’s tryst with trust vote

1. 10 Jan 2023: PM Dahal won 268 votes in the floor test, while 2 votes went against him

2. 20 March 2023: After the CPN-UML withdrew support to his government, Dahal underwent yet another floor test, securing 172 in favor of and 89 votes against his government

3. 4 March 2024: After the Congress withdrew support, PM Dahal again joined hands with the CPN-UML and other parties on March 4, securing 157 votes in favor of his government

4. 20 May 2024: After a vertical split in Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal and the formation of JSP under Ashok Rai, PM Dahal underwent the floor test yet again, securing 157 votes in favor of his government

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal secured a vote of confidence for the fourth tiime in the House of Representatives on Monday.

Dahal received 157 votes while none of the lawmakers voted against him. One lawmaker remained neutral.

The prime minister required at least 138 votes to win the trust motion.

Prime Minister Dahal sought a vote of confidence after Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal led by Upendra Yadav withdrew support to the government.

Earlier, Speaker Devraj Ghimire postponed the meeting for 15 minutes following obstructions from the main opposition Nepali Congress.

In the following meeting, Prime Minister Dahal tabled a proposal to seek a vote of confidence.

The opposition parties including the Nepali Congress obstructed the Parliament proceedings demanding formation of a parliamentary committee to investigate Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane’s alleged involvement in embezzling the funds of cooperatives.

Prime Minister Dahal sought a vote of confidence for the first time on January 10, 2023, second time on March 20, 2023 and third time on March 13, 2024.

The next meeting of the House of Representatives has been scheduled for 11 am on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is seeking a vote of confidence from the House of Representatives (HoR) today.

He is taking the vote of confidence from the HoR as per the Article 100 (2) of the Constitution.

There is a constitutional provision that if the political party which the Prime Minister represents is divided or a political party of coalition government withdraws its support, the Prime Minister shall table a motion in the HoR for a vote of confidence within 30 days.

PM has to take the vote of confidence with the constituent of the coalition, Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, headed by then Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Upendra Yadav, quitting the government. 

The motion regarding the vote of confidence has to be passed by a majority of all the members in the House of Representatives immediately.

Prime Minister Dahal is scheduled to present a proposal in today's meeting as per Rule 155 of the HoR Regulations 2079 BS.

The Speaker will present the proposal for decision in the meeting. The decision of the Assembly on the motion regarding the vote of confidence will be made by the division of vote with the signature of the member.

Speaker's press advisor Shekhar Adhikari said a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee has been called for 10 am today to discuss the issue of the prime minister's vote of confidence.

The fourth session of the federal Parliament began on May 10.

The government's annual policies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year have already been presented in the joint sitting of the Parliament on May 28.

Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav moved the Supreme Court to stop Janata Samajbadi Party lawmakers from giving a vote of confidence to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Yadav moved the apex court to stop seven lawmakers of Ashok Rai-led Janata Samajbadi Party, which was formed after the split of Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, from giving a vote of confidence to Prime Minister Dahal.

The writ filed by Yadav has already been registered, Supreme Court Information Officer Govinda Prasad Ghimire informed.

According to him, the hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow.

Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal spokesperson Manish Suman the writ was filed as per the previous order of the Supreme Court.

Along with Chairman Rai, Sushila Shrestha, Nawal Kishor Sah, Pradeep Yadav, Ranju Jha, Birendra Mahato and Hasina Khan are the lawmakers in Janata Samajbadi Party.

Prime Minister Dahal has already written to the Parliament Secretariat to make arrangements for him to take a vote of confidence.

The Rai-led government has participated in the Dahal-led government.

Pradeep Yadav has been appointed as the Minister for Health, Nawal Kishor Sah as the Minister for Forest and Hasina Khan as State Minister.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Speaker of the House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire have initiated separate consultations with the leaders of the political parties for ending the gridlock in the Parliament. 

PM Dahal has called the leaders of the parties in the ruling coalition, the CPN-UML, the CP (Maoist Center) and the Rastriya Swatantra Party for consultations at Singha Durbar. According to the PM's Secretariat, the discussions are in progress.

Similarly, as the guardian, Speaker Ghimire has been holding consultations with the leaders and the whips of the ruling and opposition parties from time to time to make the House proceedings regular and resume its business.

Parliament spokesperson Secretariat Ekram Giri said that discussions are on with the political parties regarding operating the Parliament meeting which is currently in a state of obstruction and today's meeting has been delayed as the opposition party has sought some time.

The meeting of the House of Representatives was scheduled for 11 am while that of the National Assembly is scheduled for 1.15pm today.

The main opposition Nepali Congress is also in discussions with the leaders of other opposition parties.

The main opposition party has been obstructing the meetings under the current session of the Federal Parliament so far, calling for forming a parliamentary investigation committee to look into the misappropriation of cooperatives funds.

The Congress has also demanded that the Speaker Ghimire should play a neutral and impartial role.

The main opposition party has been obstructing the House meetings from the very first day of the commencement of the current session of Parliament on May 14. However, it had allowed President Ram Chandra Paudel to present the government's policies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year in the joint session of the Federal Parliament on May 15.

But the meeting scheduled for the same evening had to be postponed without taking up the agenda, including extending thanks to the President for presenting the policies and programs, due to the obstruction by the main opposition.

The House meeting on May 16 was also stalled due to the protest by the opposition.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is seeking a vote of confidence for the fourth time on May 20.

He is taking the vote of confidence after the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal withdrew support to the government on May 13.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire’s press advisor Shekhar Adhikari informed that the PM has written to the federal Parliament Secretariat to make arrangements to seek a vote of confidence on May 20.

As per Article 100 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, the PM should table a motion in HoR for the vote of confidence within 30 days if a political party in a coalition government withdraws its support to the Prime Minister.

CPN-UML, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), CPN (Unified Socialist) and some other political parties in the HoR are the coalition members of the present government formed under the leadership of CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

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.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Speaker Devraj Ghimire held a meeting on Wednesday.

Speaker Ghimire had reached the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar to discuss the issue of House deadlock.

The Speaker’s press advisor Shekhar Adhikari said that Speaker Ghimire has taken the issue of not being able to endorse a motion of expressing gratitude to President Ram Chandra Pauel for presenting the government’s policies and programs due to the obstruction of the Nepali Congress in a serious way.

He said that the government should take initiatives to make the Parliament effective.

Speaker Ghimire said that it would be shameful if the budget gets affected due to the lack of consensus among the political parties.

“The House business has been affected due to lack of agreement among the political parties. This is not good,” he said, adding, “Hope, there will not be a constitutional crisis.”

In response, Prime Minister Dahal said that the government is committed to resolve the problems of cooperatives, saying that the issue will be sorted out soon after holding a discussion with the ruling and opposition parties.

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

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged the main opposition Nepali Congress not to obstruct the Parliament while presenting the government’s policies and programs for the financial year 2024/25.

During a meeting held in Baluwatar this morning, the Prime Minister urged the Nepali Congress leaders not to create obstruction while the President is presenting the policies and programs of the government for the financial year 2024/25 in the joint meeting of the federal Parliament today, Congress Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak informed.

General Secretary Gagan Thapa and Chief Whip Lekhak among other leaders were present in the meeting.

Prime Minister Dahal urged the Nepali Congress leaders to adopt flexibility saying it would send a wrong message if they obstruct the Parliament when the President is presenting the policies and programs.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister said that he is committed to resolving the cooperative problems.

In response, the Congress leaders said that they would decide on how to move ahead after the Parliamentary Party meeting.

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

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed his confidence that the deadlock in the Parliament will end soon. 

PM Dahal, also Chairman of CPN (Maoist Center), said this while talking to party cadres in eastern Chitwan today.

He said that the formal and informal talks were in progress with party leaders regarding resuming the House proceedings and these talks will give results very soon.

He further shared that they will reach a conclusion to end the House deadlock by this evening.  On another note, the Prime Minister argued that there was no confusion in continuity of the present ruling coalition partners.

He said that they will forge consensus to pass the policies and programs of the government and upcoming budget. The PM also opined that there will be proper relations between the policies and programs with the budget.  

According to him, the government will put the agriculture sector in high priority along with promoting the agro based industries. "The budget will address the issues of marginalized, disadvantaged and poor people and sectors," the PM added.

Prime Minister Dahal said that the government has worked effectively to control the crime and has brought the 143 ropanis of lands of Lalita Niwas under the possession of Nepal Government.

The Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal has withdrawn support extended to the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government.

A Central Committee meeting of the party held on Monday decided to withdraw support to the Dahal-led government, leader Deepak Karki informed.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population Upendra Yadav and Minister of State for Health and Population Deepak Karki resigned from their post on Monday morning.

Yadav mentioned in his resignation letter that he decided to resign  as he could not work efficiently together with the ruling coalition parties remaining in the government in the developing political situation. 

The Chairman Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal told Annapurna Post, the sister publication of The Annapurna Express, that he resigned as he was not feeling comfortable coordinating with the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center).

“The major parties of the incumbent government have played a crucial role in splitting the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal.  I have serious dissatisfaction over the working style of the UML-Maoist Center,” he said.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire held a telephone conversation on Monday to discuss the ways to create an environment for running the Parliament.

During the conversation, they also discussed the government’s policies and programs, the Speaker's press advisor Shekhar Adhikari informed.

He said that the Prime Minister has decided to take initiatives to forge political consensus.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Dahal informed the Speaker that he had held a meeting with the main opposition party Nepali Congress to forge political consensus and also discussed the demands of the party with the ruling coalition partners. He said that they would reach the conclusion by this evening.

Prime Minister Dahal said that he would start consultations again with the Congress soon after he returned to Kathmandu from Chitwan.

He also informed the Speaker about the meeting held with the President.

The Nepali Congress has been obstructing both the Houses of the federal Parliament—House of Representatives and National Assembly—demanding formation of a parliamentary committee to investigate fraud charges against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.

Earlier on Sunday, Speaker Ghimire held a meeting with the minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and chief whips of major political parties.

President Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had a meeting at Sheetal Niwas on Sunday.

During the meeting held this afternoon, they discussed contemporary political issues of the country, the President’s private secretariat said.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the government is committed to give an impetus to the country's economic transformation by keeping the morale of investors, including the industrialists and business community, high.

Inaugurating the Hyundai Motor Assembling Plant of Laxmi Motor Corporation in Nawalparasi today, PM Dahal stated that the country would be taken ahead on the journey of prosperity through economic development.

He said the economy would be strengthened by taking the private sector into confidence, asserting that the government is committed to facilitating the investment.

"The country's economy cannot be made robust without the investment of the private sector and the collaboration between the state and the private sector. The productivity cannot be increased and employment opportunities also cannot be created without this," PM Dahal said, adding that the government is always in support of creating a climate conducive to investment, promoting the private sector and security and facilitation in the investment areas.

Expressing the belief that the domestic and foreign investors would be attracted more towards the industry-friendly environment in Nepal with the operation of this new industry, he said import would be substituted and hundreds of skilled and semi-skilled laborers will get jobs along with industrialization.

The Prime Minister viewed that the consumers can buy vehicles at a fair price and a positive contribution would be there in consumption of domestic resource and electricity, a partnership in the local development and on the GDP as well when the motor assembling is done within the country itself.

"Our fiscal and monetary policies should be promotional, rather than restrictive. These policies and laws should contribute to the production and employment promotion," he said. The PM further said the domestic and external indicators of the economy are in the positive due to the consistent efforts of the government.

"The Third Investment Summit has concluded recently. The government has amended important Acts, bringing an ordinance on the eve of the Summit. This will play a key role in addressing the problems seen in the investment sector and also in encouraging and promoting the internal and external investment," he added.

The Prime Minister believed that the enthusiasm seen in the investment summit, the common viewpoint and commitment witnessed in the political parties of Nepal and the attraction of the investors have indicated towards Nepal soon becoming an attractive destination for investment.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed his confidence that with the implementation of Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project (SMDMP), there will be a quantitative contribution to the national economy.

Inaugurating a breakthrough of the SMDMP tunnel at Kanadhungri of Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-7 in Sindhuli district today, PM Dahal believed that the irrigation system will be improved and the agricultural produce would increase after the project is completed.

"This project will ensure irrigation facility to fertile land of five districts in Madhesh Province which will ensure qualitative contribution in the national economy besides generating electricity," Dahal said, addressing the event after inaugurating the breakthrough.

"The breakthrough of the tunnel under the project has been achieved, the remaining works of the Project would be completed within stipulated time," the PM hoped.

It may be noted that the breakthrough of the 13.3 kilometers long tunnel stretching from Kusumtar, Kamalamai Municipality-2 to Kanadhungri of Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-7 was completed a year ahead of the target.

Stating that the SMDMP was a transformative national project, PM Dahal opined that timely execution of such projects would significantly contribute in the goal of productivity increment and prosperity.

In his address, the Head of the Government mentioned that the breakthrough of the tunnel had infused new energy and encouragement in all of us and has added enthusiasm in construction of huge infrastructures.

Stating that the agriculture sector is the main backbone of Nepal's economic development and a sector to contribute nearly one third to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the PM argued that it was imperative to increase agricultural production and productivity so as to become self-sufficient in food supply, ensure food security and advance economic status of the people.

Sharing that 60 percent of arable land of Nepal is within Terai Madhesh and Inner Madhesh region, PM Dahal said that the irrigation projects being run in Terai-Madhesh zone were based on river water flow system.

Pressing for utilizing water that originated from glaciers for agricultural production, the PM on the occasion pledged to leverage the same source of water for generating electricity, drinking water supply and other purposes for overall development of the country.

Arguing that the goals of good-governance, social justice and prosperity could be achieved through the successful construction of the mega infrastructures, he instructed the concerned parties for timely completion of mega projects.

He also urged cooperation and support from all quarters for timely completion of transformative national projects.

According to him, the successful implementation of the SMDMP had spoken volume for the technical efficiency achieved by the technicians working in hydro power projects and the irrigation sector by optimizing new technology.

He viewed that by optimizing water resources, we could increase agricultural produce and productivity thereby reducing the imbalance of imports.

The PM also expressed that upon the operation of the SMDMP, the demography around Sunkoshi and Tamakoshi river basin area would witness multifaceted development for them.

He opined that fishery and tourism business would also boom in these areas with the operation of the project. The project is expected to provide irrigation facilities on 122, 000 hectares of land in Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari and Dhanusha districts.