Within the ruling coalition, talk of a “early election” without the completion of the Council of Ministers has sparked skepticism. Because the administration is at a standstill, many in Congress believe that postponing the election will be detrimental. Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Prime Minister, appears to be thinking in terms of winning the general convention in November and holding elections in April.
Prime Minister Deuba and Chairman of the main opposition party UML, KP Sharma Oli, have not met separately since the shift of power. The Prime Minister, on the other hand, has sent his trusty law minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki to Oli’s home three times. Minister Karki visited Oli on Tuesday after arriving in Balkot on September 3 and 4.
Issues such as the House of Representatives stalemate, the reasons for not being able to expand the Council of Ministers for two and a half months, and holding a ‘early election’ were discussed during the meeting. “If the government is in difficulties, we are ready to assist.” How long do you think we’ll be in charge of the government? Even if early elections are called, we are prepared,’ said a source who returned to Baluwatar with a message from Balkot.
Following a meeting with Law Minister Karki on Tuesday, Oli told journalists in the electricity market that the country should hold ‘early elections.’ “Parliament has been unable to work. It is necessary to go to the polls. How can it function in a circumstance when the government is still incomplete two months later?” He stated his case.
Oli has been delivering similar messages for a few weeks now, focusing on cabinet expansion delays. Oli has not made many personal remarks about Prime Minister Deuba, despite his hostile behavior toward his erstwhile socialist colleagues. Even after his party split, Oli has criticized the ordinance and the administration, but he has not mentioned Deuba. As a result, Oli has adopted a strategy of separating from the Maoists and S by moderating his stance toward the Prime Minister, rather than building the ruling coalition by being friendly to everyone. Prime Minister Deuba’s response to Oli’s strategy
‘On the one hand, through dialogue with Oli, it is easier to hold not just the opposition in check, but even the Maoists and the S in check. This has not been to the Prime Minister’s detriment.’ When Oli was Prime Minister, however, his party leaders Dahal and Nepal were adamantly opposed to him, while Leader of the Opposition Deuba was more supportive. Deuba was not irritated by Oli either. Despite the fact that the then-Congress and Maoist central governments had appointed all of the ambassadors, Oli kept Pratibha Rana as ambassador to Japan. Deuba’s mother-in-law is Rana.
