Nepali Congress (NC) has concluded that time will ripen to bring no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli in a week.
NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba had a lengthy discussion on the issue with office-bearers at his residence in Budhanilkantha on Wednesday. "We are preparing to bring no-confidence motion against PM but time has yet to ripen. We will have to closely analyze the unfolding political developments and calculate the number of lawmakers to sign in the no-confidence motion," a leader close to Deuba confided with Setopati.
NC feels that CPN (Maoist Center) has become clearer on the issue but indecision by Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) has delayed things. JSP is currently divided on whether to support Oli or not. JSP leaders Baburam Bhattarai and Upendra Yadav, coming from erstwhile Federal Socialist Forum Nepal, have publicly demanded toppling of Oli government while leaders from the erstwhile Rastriya Janata Party like Thakur and Rajendra Mahato are negotiating with Oli.
"Thakur and Mahato will ally with Oli. Upendra Yadav and Bhattarai are closer to us in agenda and are adamant they should not ally with Oli at any cost," the leader added. "Bringing of no-confidence motion will be delayed further if JSP doesn't take decision. But the picture will be clearers if JSP decides to ally with Oli or NC."
NC leaders feel JSP can no longer remain united. "We feel that Bhattarai and Yadav will form a new party if Thakur and Mahato ally with Oli, and Thakur and Mahato will form a new party if Bhattarai and Yadav decide to ally with NC. This may become clearer within a week," the leader stated.
NC feels that Oli will be stronger if he successfully faces no-confidence motion and is, therefore, concerned that it cannot muster the necessary numbers if JSP splits. It hopes that the Khanal-Nepal faction will cross the floor to help the main opposition party but recent efforts by Oli to reach out to the dissidents can put paid to that hope.
"The winter session of the parliament was hurriedly ended after we started preparations to bring no-confidence motion. Oli has panicked and therefore talked with Nepal yesterday. He doesn't intend to punish the 27 lawmakers of the Khanal-Nepal faction with whom he sought explanation. He is trying to become stronger by pretending to resolve the dispute," the leader claimed.
NC does not want Oli to start the process of seeking floor test though and wants to bring no-confidence motion instead. "Because seeking vote of confidence is a lengthy process. There will be the danger of this government bringing the next budget. If we bring no-confidence motion and pass it, the new government will be formed soon," the leader reasoned.
NC Senior Leader Ram Chandra Paudel has been slamming Deuba for dallying to topple the government accusing the main opposition leader of missing an opportunity even in the past. But Deuba is not in a hurry and wants to bring no-confidence motion only if it becomes successful.
The leader claimed that the no-confidence motion would already have failed if NC had not wisely calculated and forecasted the developments before bringing the motion.
