UML lawmakers take a swipe at PM, party leadership

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and the UML top brass came under fire during the meeting of the UML parliamentary party on Wednesday with lawmakers taking strong exception to their position on the President's decision to reinstate the sacked army chief.

The UML lawmakers also described the President's step as 'unconstitutional', taking the party leadership to task for joining the government without rectifying it. They said the Maoists made a wrong move by deciding to sack the army chief while the President, too, overstepped the constitutional boundary by vetoing that decision.

Most UML lawmakers who spoke in the meeting criticised PM Nepal and the party leadership for putting up a 'jumbo cabinet' by inducting persons who were defeated in the Constituent Assembly election.

UML lawmaker Rabindra Adhikari told reporters after the meeting that most of the speakers criticised the party leadership for "making a mockery of democracy" by inducting defeated candidates in the cabinet.

PM Nepal on his part requested them to understand his compulsion for forming an oversized cabinet. He also informed them about the negotiations with other allies and the composition of the cabinet.

Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal, who also heads the parliament party, declared
the meeting adjourned till Friday without putting his views. nepalnews.com June 17 09