Four Maoist ministers in Nepal relieved of Parliament membership

PTI

KATHMANDUUpdated: Apr 09, 2021, 01:08 PM IST

Despite being a small nation, Nepal was never colonised by any country. It has always been a sovereign nation and served as a buffer state between Imperial China and British India in the past. So, Nepal does not have an Independence Day. Photograph:(ANI)

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The four leaders, however, can continue as ministers in the Oli-led Cabinet for six more months. But, they should retain their post if they wish to continue more than that, according to prevailing laws

Four ministers in Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli-led Cabinet, who belonged to the CPN-Maoist Centre led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, were relieved of their Parliament membership on Thursday.

Energy Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Industry Minister Lekhraj Bhatta, Urban Development Minister Prabhu Sah and Labour Minister Gaurishankar Chaudhary lost their positions as lawmakers upon the recommendation of their party.

Reading out a notice during Thursday''s meeting of the House of Representatives, Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota said that the four ministers have been relieved of their position as lawmakers after the decision of the CPN-Maoist Centre.

Rayamajhi, Bhatta, Sah and Chaudhary did not return to the CPN-Maoist Centre even after the revival of their party in February this year.

Instead, they decided to join the Oli-led CPN-UML, where they have been enjoying Cabinet berths.

Prime Minister Oli''s dissolution of the House of Representatives in December last year triggered a political crisis in Nepal. However, in a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court February reinstated the lower house of Parliament.

The political scenario in the country worsened after the Supreme Court last month nullified CPN-MC's merger with CPN-UML. The two parties had merged in May 2018 to form a unified Nepal Communist Party following the victory of their alliance in the 2017 general elections.