PM Dahal staunch opponent of federalism, says Madhesh CM Yadav

KATHMANDU: Madhesh Province Chief Minister Saroj Kumar Yadav has accused Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of having an anti-federalism mindset.

Yadav leveled the accusation while speaking to the media on Monday after CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center), Janamat Party, and Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal drew the Chief Minister’s attention regarding the distribution of conditional grants to local units for the fiscal year 2023/24 and budget transfers from various ministries.

These parties submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on Monday, reminding him that a minority government cannot make any decisions with long-term impacts.

Receiving the memorandum, Chief Minister Yadav accused Prime Minister Dahal of being a staunch opponent of federalism. “CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has already made it clear that he does not support federalism,” he said, adding that any leadership that brings Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane into the government can not be a supporter of federalism.

“The Madhesh region was the first to demand federalism. I have fought the most for federalism over the past year and a half,” Yadav said. “Earlier, we used to call Oli anti-federalist. Now, when I look at Prime Minister Dahal, I see him as someone who initially wanted federalism but has now become a staunch opponent of it.”

The Chief Minister accused parties in the federal government of repeatedly attempting to undermine federalism by withdrawing support from the Madhesh Province Government and frequently transferring employees.