[Archive] That midterm election caused by internal strife in Congress

After the failure of the government's policies and programs, despite the clear majority of the party, Prime Minister Koirala recommended to the king to dissolve the parliament and hold mid-term elections.

Shrawn 31, 2082

Kantipur Reporter

[Archive] That midterm election caused by internal strife in Congress

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That day i.e. June 26, 2051. On this day, Girija Prasad Koirala announced his resignation from the post of Prime Minister recommending the dissolution of the House of Representatives to King Birendra. With Congress having a clear majority in the House of Representatives, Koirala not only resigned, but also recommended the country to the King for mid-term elections.

Koirala's recommendation to dissolve the House of Representatives established after the political change of 2046 created a wave in the country.

There was strong opposition to the dissolution of the parliament in the country saying that the House of Representatives had punished the internal strife and quarrels of the Congress. Congress President Krishna Prasad Bhattarai along with 36 ruling MPs took to the streets to protest against the dissolution of Parliament.

Koirala resigned saying that the policy and program presented by the government for the financial year 2051/52 was not passed by the seventh session of the House of Representatives. He recommended to the king to set the mid-term elections for November 27, 2051. After resigning, Koirala told the media, 'I have recommended to dissolve the parliament and set the date for the mid-term.' When asked whether the dissolution of parliament and the announcement of mid-term elections will not hurt democracy, Koirala said that the matter should be asked of those who brought down the government (MPs of his own party). 

36 Congress MPs who were dissatisfied with Koirala gathered at the residence of MP Chiranjeevi Wagle on 26th June 2051 and decided not to attend Parliament on that day . They decided to be absent saying that the assurances given by the Chairman and the Prime Minister to resolve the dispute within the party were not fulfilled. On that day, there was a list of government policies and programs to be passed in the House of Representatives. According to the list, 86 votes were against and 74 were in favor of the proposal made by the chief whip of the Congress, Tarinidutta Chatout.

39 MPs of the ruling party Congress were absent due to various reasons. But 36 people had informed the secretary of the parliamentary party of the party that they would be absent after making a plan to put pressure on Koiral. The pressure of the MPs was indirectly supported by the party's supreme leader Ganeshman Singh and chairman Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. But they did not believe that Koirala would dissolve the parliament.

The king presented the government's policy and program in the parliament on June 17. But the proposal of the government fell into the minority due to the quarrel of the Congress. 39 Congress MPs were absent. Prakash Koirala (Sunsari), Mahedranarayan Nidhi and Surendra Chaudhary were not present as they were out of the valley. [Archive] That midterm election caused by internal strife in Congress

National Assembly Chairman Beni Bahadur Karki, who learned that 36 MPs would be absent from the motion to approve the government's policies and programs and to thank the King, requested Prime Minister Koirala to coordinate . Karki tried to 'convince' Koirala by saying that since 36 MPs are sitting in one place, he will come as soon as he informs.

Rashtriya Sabha Chairman Karki told Koirala about his request on the same day in a conversation with Purushottam Dahal, the host of the program 'Ghadana Aar Vikhaar' broadcast on 'Radio Nepal'. He said in the program, "I told Girijabau that 36 MPs will come if you call them, but he didn't agree."

After the government was reduced to a minority, Bharat Mohan Adhikari, secretary of the main opposition party UML, Gajendra Narayan Singh, president of Nepal Sadbhavna Party, Amik Sherchan, MP of United Janam Morcha and Narayanman Bijukche of Nepal Labor Kisan Party demanded Koirala's resignation. Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (Chand) Samhu MP Pashupatishamsher Rana supported the mid-term elections saying that the Congress government has failed. RPP had been demanding mid-term elections before that. 

Congress president Bhattarai said that he is against the mid-term elections and said that Parliament should not be dissolved. He said that since the Congress has a majority in the Parliament, the king should call his party to form the government. But the king said that he had started consultation with the Raj Sabha standing committee and the opposition parties regarding the mid-term elections.

In relation to the impact of internal strife in the Congress on the national politics of the incident, which is seen as the day that laid the "foundation of distortion" in the parliamentary history of Nepal, the news prepared jointly by journalists Ramesh KC, Taranath Dahal and Narad Bharadwaj was published by Kantipur on June 26, 2051 under the title "Consultation from Mr. 5 with opposition leaders on mid-term elections: Prime Minister Koirala's resignation accepted". 

31 years have passed since the dissolution of the Parliament and even now it is being analyzed that the decision has sown distortions in the parliamentary system. Although the party has a clear majority, it is said that since the day it was recommended to dissolve the parliament and go for the mid-term elections, the organization of the Congress has started to decline. Also, economists have said that there has been a 'break' in the economic liberalization, open market economy and the strategy of bringing in domestic and foreign investment started by the government after the political change. 

 Presentation: Rishiram Paudyal 

Kantipur

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