RSP withdraws support to Dahal’s government

KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has decided to withdraw support extended to the coalition government led by CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

A joint meeting of the party’s central committee and parliamentary party committee took the decision to this end on Friday, according to a central committee member.

Earlier, Dahal had requested RSP to join the government. However, the party’s central committee meeting had set four conditions to join the government.

RSP had proposed to the ruling coalition to give it ministries that it was allotted earlier, commit not to interfere in the work of the ministries, rewrite the common minimum program of the coalition government and ensure the continuity of the government.

Even though the RSP has withdrawn its support to the government, Prime Minister Dahal does not need to undergo a floor test. Constitution experts say the prime minister should take a vote of confidence again only when the party participating in the government withdraws its support. Constitution expert Bipin Adhikari said since RSP was not in Dahal’s government, PM Dahal need not take a vote of confidence.

RSP left the government 42 days after it joined Dahal’s government. The party’s two ministers – DP Aryal and Shishir Khanal – and minister of state Dr Toshima Karki – submitted their resignations to PM Dahal on February 5.

“The PM would have to undergo a floor test if the RSP had withdrawn its support when it exited the government. However, as the party is no longer a part of the government, its withdrawal of support will not affect the current government’s stability,” another constitution expert Dr Bhimarjun Adikari said. “The PM should undergo a floor test only under two circumstances: when the party that supported the government’s formation withdraws its support, or if the party leading the government splits. Since neither of these situations applies currently, a floor test is not necessary.”

A total of 272 members of the House of Representatives, including those from RSP, gave a vote of confidence to PM Dahal on January 10. But RSP exited the government after the Supreme Court declared Lamichhane unfit to hold public office, ruling that Lamichhane hadn’t obtained Nepali citizenship which he relinquished to get US citizenship.