Nepali Congress Forms Shadow Government

Kathmandu. The main opposition party Nepali Congress has formed a 'Shadow Government' to closely monitor the activities of the powerful government and make parliamentary practice more effective.
Congress has made the leader of the parliamentary party, Bhishma Raj Angdembe, the shadow prime minister. Similarly, various leaders have been allocated ministerial responsibilities as shadow ministers to play a strong opposition role.
Congress has assigned the responsibility of shadow home minister to Prakash Singh Karki, Narendra Kumar Kerung for the Ministry of Finance, and Sunil Bahadur Thapa for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Similarly, Mohan Acharya in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Dr. Firdos Alam in the Ministry of Education and Sports, and Dr. Chandra Mohan Yadav in Health and Food Hygiene have been given responsibilities.

The responsibility of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs has been given to Kham Bahadur Khatri, the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense to Khadga Shahi, and the responsibility of the Ministry of Information and Communications to Manmaya Bishwakarma.

Santosh Subba has been selected as the Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, and Yogesh Gauchan in the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Bishnu Bahadur Khadka in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply, Dr. Pramila Kumari Gachchhadar in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Gita Gurung in the Ministry of Youth, Labor and Employment, Sandeep Rana in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ganga Lakshmi Awal in the Ministry of Women and Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities and Social Security, and Janakraj Giri in the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration have been given responsibilities, the Congress parliamentary party informed.

Responsibilities Assigned to Coordinate in Parliamentary Committees

Congress has also assigned responsibilities to MPs to coordinate in various thematic committees under the House of Representatives. The parliamentary party office informed that coordinators have been appointed to play an effective role and coordinate from the party's side in the thematic committees.

Rekha Kumari Yadav has been appointed as the coordinator of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, Khadak Bahadur Buda as the coordinator of the Finance Committee, and Renuka Kaucha Magar as the coordinator of the International Relations and Tourism Committee.

Similarly, Tek Bahadur Gurung has been appointed as the coordinator of the Industry, Commerce, Labor and Consumer Interest Committee, Ninuk Kumari Karna as the coordinator of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee, and Gita Kumari Sendang as the coordinator of the Agriculture, Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee.

Bharat Kumar Swar has been appointed as the coordinator of the Infrastructure Development Committee, Rina Upreti KC as the coordinator of the Women and Social Affairs Committee, and Sita Thapaliya 'Urmila' as the coordinator of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee.

Congress had practiced shadow government several times before. In 2074, the then CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center) contested the election by dividing seats and secured a majority. After that, Congress became the main opposition party. At that time too, Congress had formed a shadow government.

In parliamentary democracy, the main opposition party is seen as the party that forms the government after the current government falls. Therefore, the practice of forming a shadow government to make the government accountable is found in other countries as well.

Congress Chief Whip in the House of Representatives, Basana Thapa, said that a shadow government and coordinators have been appointed in parliamentary committees. 'Yes, we have given responsibilities to the honorable members to coordinate from the party's side,' Chief Whip Thapa told RatoPati, 'This is a tradition of the party since before.'

Congress MP Sita Thapaliya 'Urmila' informed that the names were assigned and sent as the Federal Parliament Secretariat had asked for names to coordinate from the party's side.