KATHMANDU, Jan 7: Leader of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), Bamdev Gautam, said that he would have resigned from the post (if he were the prime minister) if there were attempts to oust him through a vote of no-confidence.
Speaking at the National Assembly on Thursday, Gautam, a member of the upper house of the federal parliament, said "If I were in place of Prime Minister Oli, I would resign from the post before the vote of no-confidence could be registered in parliament. This way, the party, too, would have remained intact."
Saying that he has been working with Oli for the past 43 years in the course of party politics, Gautam said he did not imagine that Oli would dissolve parliament all of a sudden. He also said that Prime Minister Oli also did not share with him in advance about the dissolution of parliament although he knows Oli for over 40 years.
NCP should stop assault on the Constitution
"After the dissolution of parliament, I called it unconstitutional and did not support the move of Oli. Now, I am not speaking about the issue because it is sub judice at the Supreme Court. Let the court decide the matter," Gautam said.
Gautam also said that he was not aware of the Dahal-Nepal faction's move to file a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Oli.
"Now, I am not joining any faction of our party," Gautam said while expressing dismay over the dissolution of parliament and subsequent split in the party.
The meeting of the National Assembly is currently underway at the federal parliament building in New Baneshwar. Lawmakers are airing their views on matters of public concern.
In today's meeting, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to table the annual report of the Madhesi Commission. Likewise, Chairperson of the National Assembly, Ganesh Prasad Timalsina, is tabling a proposal with a list of lawmakers to be nominated as members of thematic committees under the National Assembly.
The winter session of the National Assembly began on Friday and was postponed until today.
