5 February 2021, Kathmandu
Prime Minister KP Oli has said the time has come for the Nepali people to choose between political instability and election.
Labeling his decision as a forward-looking move, PM Oli said, “If you want political stability in the country, there is no alternative to elections.”
Addressing a mass meeting at Durbar Marg in Kathmandu on Friday, Prime Minister Oli sniffed sarcasm on some leaders of the dissident faction of the NCP saying, “The term regression has become obsolete now. Do not ever think of taking that way.”
Reiterating his commitment towards republicanism and constitution, Prime Minister Oli said, “This mass meeting has been a severe blow to those who have been alleging me of taking regressive steps.”
“Now that, it is up to the people whether they want instability or elections,” he said amid applauds saying, “The country has headed towards elections to decide the fate of the country. And there is looking back.”
He asked: “Will elections lead the country towards instability?”
On the occasion, PM Oli also took the opportunity to assert that the dissolution of the Parliament was not an unconstitutional move. “In a parliamentary system, a PM can dissolve the House if he/she is not allowed to work,” he said alleging the leaders of the dissident faction led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal.
They have to understand that a PM can dissolve the parliament to get a fresh mandate of the people alleging them of not cooperating with the government.
“They even tried to disrupt the parliamentary sessions to revive the same old politics of “buying and selling” lawmakers,” he added reiterating his commitment towards the current system.
Prime Minister Oli also alleged the dissident Prachanda-Nepal faction for creating an unnecessary obstruction in the work of the government and the party. “Isn’t it ridiculous that they (dissident faction), could not tolerate the appointments in the constitutional bodies, which works for the people?”
They, PM argued, were hell-bent on ousting him to create instability in a bid to fulfill their vested interests.
Stating that the NCP party led by him was the authentic one, PM Oli assured of getting the Sun as its election symbol. “This is the only communist party that can safeguard the nationality, national integrity, and sovereignty.”
“Do I have to say this again?” he asked, “Now this is final, we are the authentic party.”
He also lambasted the dissident faction of the NCP for imposing the Nepal bandha on Thursday, which he claimed was against the common people.
Hinting at Prachanda’s remarks about going for a violent agitation, PM Oli warned, “Days are over for violent agitation. Do not ever think of reviving violence in the country.”
He also said that the government would compensate for the loss incurred during the course of Nepal bandha.
Meanwhile, speaking about what he said “hard times” during the coronavirus pandemic, he said, “Keeping people’s health as the topmost priority, the government left no stone unturned to save their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
