President Ram Chandra Paudel has called Nepali Congress (NC) leader Shekhar Koirala to discuss about the latest developments in Koshi province.
NC lawmaker Kedar Karki, who is close to Koirala, staked claim for chief minister (CM) submitting signatures of 47 lawmakers including eight NC lawmakers (including himself) and 39 CPN-UML lawmakers to Province Chief Parshuram Khapung on Thursday going against the center’s decision to support Indra Angbo of CPN (Maoist Center) as the coalition candidate.
“President Paudel called leader Koirala in the morning expressing interest about the issue of CM in Koshi,” an NC leader close to Koirala told Setopati. “I got to know about NC president, general secretaries, leader Krishna Sitaula and others agreeing to give up the post of CM to Angbo from Pushpa Kamal Dahal. What kind of party have we built?” the leader quoted Koirala as telling President Paudel.
Koirala complained that attempts have been made to corner him inside the party. “We can, therefore, not step back in Koshi. I have taken the decision to save the party. It was already decided inside the coalition that NC would get Koshi. We cannot give up now,” the leader quoted Koirala as adding.
NC central member Gyanendra Bahadur Karki also called Koirala in the morning about the issue. Koirala in response told Karki that the eight NC lawmakers cannot be punished. “Have you all read the Constitution? How can Koshi lawmakers be punished and called back?” Koirala asked. "Tell NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba that Shekhar Koirala won’t step back in Koshi.”
Deuba himself has not talked with Koirala though.
PM and Maoist Center Dahal also called Koirala urging the latter to ask Kedar Karki to withdraw claim for CM. But Koirala refused to oblige and asked Dahal to tell Angbo to step back instead.
