UML lawmakers have said they boycotted the cabinet meeting due to disagreements over the distribution of roles in the government-appointed hospital management committee.
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Dissatisfaction has increased between the ruling party Congress and its partner UML in the Sudurpaschim province government over the division of roles and appointments in hospital management committees. On Thursday, the ministers from the UML in the government boycotted the cabinet meeting over the same issue.
Although the ministers from the ruling party were absent from the cabinet meeting over the division of roles and appointments, the ministers from the Congress, including the Chief Minister, made some appointment decisions. There are four ministers, including one Minister of State, from the UML in the Sudurpaschim government led by the Congress. UML lawmakers have said that they boycotted the cabinet meeting due to disagreement over the division of roles in the hospital management committee appointed by the government.
From the meeting boycotted by UML ministers, Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah appointed Ram Bahadur Bhandari of Tikapur-1 as the chairman of the Tikapur Provincial Hospital Management Committee, Toran Prasad Awasthi of Mahakali Municipality-5 as the chairman of Darchula Hospital, Dhan Bahadur Chhetri of Dasharathchand Municipality-3 as the chairman of Baitadi Hospital, and Dhan Bahadur Rawat of Khaptadchhede Daha 5 as the chairman of Bajura Hospital.
Birendra Bahadur Khadka of Jayaprithi Municipality-3 was appointed as the chairman of Bajhang Hospital. Except for Khadka, the chairmen appointed in all districts are Congress workers. Khadka is a UML worker.
Earlier, the Congress has also appointed its own workers as the chairmen of Seti Provincial, Lamki and Jogbuda Hospitals in Dadeldhura. The chairmen of Mahakali Provincial Hospital have been taken by the UML. There, Mahesh Prasad Pant, close to UML parliamentary party leader Rajendra Singh Rawal, has been appointed as the chairman of the hospital management committee. Congress MPs have said that UML could not unanimously nominate a name after internal strife arose during the division. ‘The hospital chairman could not be appointed due to the lobbying of a different person from UML for the chairman of the district hospital management committee that is part of UML,’ said Social Development Minister Meghraj Khadka. ‘It seems that there is a tussle going on for Achham Hospital as well.’ Khadka is a minister representing Congress. UML cadres are angry with UML parliamentary party leader Rajendra Singh Rawal over the division. Two weeks ago, youth close to UML locked the provincial assembly parliamentary party office. In addition, the UML provincial committee had written to the center requesting that the parliamentary party leader be brought in contact or another leader be selected in the party.
Most MPs in the UML, which has 11 MPs, say they are unaware of every decision made by the parliamentary party leader. ‘With the increasing influence of apolitical people within the political party, there is no need to look elsewhere to find the reason for unpopularity,’ said UML MP Dharmaraj Pathak, symbolically protesting the activities of his own party and the government. Social Development Minister Khadka has claimed that there is no conflict between the ruling coalition parties.
Minister Bir Bahadur Thapa, who represents the UML, claimed that there is no deep conflict between the ruling coalition partners UML and the Nepali Congress. He said that although there has been some confusion regarding the appointment in the hospital management committee, initiatives are being taken to improve relations. ‘The confusion has also been seen because the parliamentary party meeting in the UML has not been held and all the information is not available,’ said Minister Thapa. ‘We did not go to the meeting on Thursday as there was confusion regarding the appointment.’
