All-Party meeting in Sudurpaschim ends inconclusively as UML rejects CM’s proposal

Dhangadhi: The all-party meeting called by Sudurpaschim Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah on Tuesday ended without a resolution as the opposition CPN-UML rejected the government's proposal.

The meeting was convened in an effort to resolve the ongoing obstruction of the provincial assembly by opposition parties, who have been protesting against excessive government expenditures. Chief Minister Shah urged opposition leaders to allow the resumption of the stalled parliamentary session.

During the discussions, CPN (Maoist Center) leader Man Bahadur Dhami pressed the government to reduce unnecessary expenses as a condition for ending the obstruction. "If the government is ready to cut expenses, we will resume the parliament," Dhami stated.

Opposition parties have continuously blocked assembly proceedings, citing concerns over rising government expenditures. While Chief Minister Shah signaled willingness to reduce costs, the meeting was ultimately postponed due to disagreements with UML.

“The meeting was postponed after the UML parliamentary party leader opposed the Chief Minister’s proposal,” said Man Bahadur Dhami. Former Minister Naresh Shahi of the Unified Socialist Party confirmed that no date has been set for the next meeting.

Opposition Demands and Ruling Party's Response
The opposition parties have put forward several key demands, including:
-Reducing current expenditures,
-Cutting down services and facilities for office bearers,
-Eliminating unnecessary programs, such as seminars and conferences.
-All opposition representatives supported these demands, prompting the ruling coalition to reassess its stance before engaging in further discussions.

The four-hour-long meeting, which began at 11 AM, was adjourned at 3 PM without an agreement. Discussions largely centered on benefits and allowances for ruling party leaders and chief whips, leading to accusations that the opposition was neglecting parliamentary responsibility by repeatedly adjourning sessions.

Despite the urgency of the issue, the meeting failed to produce a concrete proposal on expenditure cuts.

Key Participants in the Meeting
From the Ruling Party:
-Bikram Singh Dhami (Chief Whip, Nepali Congress)
-Rajendra Singh Rawal (Former Chief Minister, CPN-UML)
-Chakra Malla (Chief Whip, CPN-UML)
-Ghanashyam Chaudhary (Parliamentary Leader, Civil Liberation Party)
-Indira Giri (Chief Whip, Civil Liberation Party)

From the Opposition:
-Man Bahadur Dhami (Parliamentary Leader, CPN-Maoist Center)
-Geeta Mal (Chief Whip, CPN-Maoist Center)
-Dirgha Sodari (Former CM & Parliamentary Leader, CPN-Unified Socialist Party)
-Naresh Shahi (Chief Whip, CPN-Unified Socialist Party)
-Khema Devi Bista (Representative, Rastriya Prajatantra Party - RPP)

With no agreement reached, the ruling coalition is now expected to deliberate internally before engaging in further negotiations with the opposition.