Opposition steps up campaign against Prime Minister in Nepal

Accusing Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai of "looting" the national coffer and "encouraging" corruption, opposition Nepali Congress launched a massive rally here demanding his resignation.

Kathmandu: Accusing Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai of "looting" the national coffer and "encouraging" corruption, Opposition Nepali Congress on Friday launched a massive rally here demanding his resignation.

Addressing the gathering of thousands of people at Basantapur Durbarsquare here, Nepali Congress leaders accused Maoist leader and caretaker Prime Minister of looting the national coffer, encouraging corruption and allowing price hike of essential commodities. In order to remove Bhattarai from power the party will launch a nationwide agitation after the Diwali and Chhath festivals are over, Nepali Congress vice-president Ramchandra Poudyal said. He said Bhattarai has no intention to either hold fresh election or promulgate the constitution. He just wants to prolong his stay in power "by hook or by crook", Poudyal said. Among the prominent party leaders to address the gathering included its president Sushil Koirala, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and general secretary Prakash Man Singh. The Maoist-Madhesi coalition is indulging in corruption, misusing state coffer and prolonging their stay in power without being serious to draft constitution and concluding the peace process, they pointed out. The Nepali Congress leaders also urged President Ram Baran Yadav not to endorse the new budget, which the caretaker government intends to bring through ordinance. It is undemocratic to trying to rule the country on the basis of ordinance, Prakash Man Singh said. Only the new government formed through national consensus has authority to bring the budget, he added. The caretaker government, however, is pressing the President to endorse the financial ordinance for bringing the budget as it is likely to face cash crunch if the new budget is not introduced by mid- November. Meanwhile, 18 political parties including main opposition Nepali Congress and CPN-UML yesterday submitted a memorandum to the President urging him to block the government`s move to bring a full budget through ordinance. PTI