Nepal in fresh crisis; Madhesi party withdraws support

Nepal's new CPN-UML-led coalition government plunged into crisis on Friday as MPRF, which held the key to power with 53 MPs, withdrew support to it following a split in the Madhesi party, nearly two weeks after Madhav Kumar Nepal assumed office as Prime Minister easing out Maoist chief Prachanda.

The move by the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) came even before the ruling coalition could get a complete shape. Prime Minister Nepal had just on Thursday expanded his three-member Cabinet to 11.

Addressing a crowded press conference in Kathmandu, MPRF chief Upendra Yadav said that his party had withdrawn support to the government and decided to sit in the opposition.

He alleged that party rebel Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, who has been made Deputy Prime Minister, joined the Cabinet without the formal consent from the MPRF.

"Gachchhadar has deceived us by joining the Cabinet without taking the consent of the party in an attempt to bring a division in the Madhesi party, which is also against the larger interest of the Madhesi people," he said.

He also announced that MPRF has expelled its seven central members, including Gachchhadar, from the party membership.

Apart from Gachchhadar, those sacked from the party membership are Jitendra Dev, Rameshwor Ray Yadav, Upendra Jha, Sharad Singh Bhandari, Ratneshwor Goit and Ram Janam Chaudhari. Among them, three are MPs – Gachchhadar, Bhandari and Chaudhari.

However, Rameshwor Ray Yadav claimed that the MPRF move would not lead to the collapse of the government. The decision will not affect the stability of the coalition government, he said.

The party faction led by Gachchhadar is currently holding a crucial meeting to work out a strategy to move ahead.

Earlier, Gachchhadar, claiming support of 32 of the 53 MPRF lawmakers, decided to join the Cabinet before the party's central committee made any decision in this regard.

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