Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has invited the main opposition Nepali Congress party for discussions on Friday evening in an effort to resolve the ongoing deadlock in Parliament.
The meeting called for 6 pm comes amid heightened tensions between the ruling alliance and the Congress party over the latter's demand to form a parliamentary inquiry committee to investigate allegations of financial irregularities against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ravi Lamichhane.
The Nepali Congress has accused Lamichhane of misappropriating funds from cooperatives during his time as a media personality before joining politics. However, the parties in the ruling coalition have rejected the Congress' demand, leading to a stalemate that has disrupted proceedings in the Federal Parliament.
The rift took an ugly turn on Thursday when Congress and UML lawmakers engaged in a physical altercation during the House of Representatives meeting over the dispute. The Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party meeting on Friday morning condemned the incident and questioned the role of the Speaker in controlling the House.
As the Prime Minister makes a fresh attempt to break the deadlock through dialogue, all eyes are on whether the two sides can find a middle ground and restore order in Parliament. Analysts believe both parties will have to make concessions for any negotiated settlement.
The current situation has raised concerns about the ability of the fragile coalition government to function effectively amid such inter-party rifts and power tussles.
