Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said that collective effort was essential for achieving prosperity

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said on Monday that collective effort was essential for achieving prosperity as he exuded confidence that the new parliament will be successful in meeting the expectations of the people.
Speaking at the first meeting of the House of Representatives after the November general elections, Prime Minister Prachanda also said that the parliament should be taken as an “examination centre” by the lawmakers.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari had called the first session of the new Parliament on January 9.
Prachanda told the lawmakers that the people had elected them on the condition that “we deliver good governance and prosperity, and to make it meaningful, parliament should be taken as an examination centre,” My Republica newspaper reported.
He stated that all political parties should stand together to fulfill the common promises of good governance and prosperity made to the people during the elections.
He also made it clear that political parties have no choice but to proceed by addressing the expectations, complaints, interests and concerns of the people immediately.
Prime Minister Prachanda said that collective effort was essential for achieving prosperity and expressed his belief that the new parliament will be successful in meeting the expectations of the people.
He also expressed hope that they can search for solutions to the problems that have arisen in the country only by doing politics of action and not reaction.
The Prime Minister said that he considered the entry of new parties into the House of Representatives as a victory for democracy and civil liberties. He urged all the political parties to focus on the grand campaign of economic prosperity beyond emotions and excitement.
In his remarks, Janamat Party chief CK Raut said that standing in parliament was a new feeling for him especially while considering that it was once forbidden to take his name in parliament.
Raut said that it is the contribution of inclusive and participatory democracy which made it possible.
“Especially in a place where it was forbidden to take my name, standing up and speaking by myself is a new feeling. I want to thank the democratic system and the people,” said Raut, who was once involved in the secessionist movement.
CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the lawmakers should be working in a way that the people feel proud of their elected MPs.
“We should learn from the past and move forward,” he said and urged the lawmakers to focus on the issues and problems of the people and try to solve them.
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane said that the government will be ruthless in the matters of corruption.
“The government stands ruthlessly against corruption round the clock,” he said.
He said that parliament should also be active in the investigation of past corruption cases. He said that political parties, leaders and parliamentarians should not exert pressure or try to influence any investigation into corruption.
Talking to reporters, Prachanda later said that he is confident of getting a vote of confidence. “Not only am I confident of getting a vote of confidence, I believe that the entire House will stand united on the vote of confidence.”
Prachanda, the 68-year-old CPN-Maoist Centre leader, was sworn in as the Prime Minister for the third time on December 26 last year after he dramatically walked out of the pre-poll alliance led by the Nepali Congress and joined hands with opposition leader K P Sharma Oli.
He was appointed as the prime minister as per Article 76 clause 2 of the Constitution with the support of 169 HoR members.
A prime minister appointed through such provision is required to seek a vote of confidence within 30 days of his or her appointment.
Prachanda needs 138 votes for a clear majority in the House. He has the support of seven parties, including Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) and the newly-formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
He is likely to seek a vote of confidence on Tuesday. After the vote of confidence, the process of electing the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will get underway.
According to constitutional provisions, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker should be elected within 15 days of the first parliamentary meeting.