Far-Western Province Government Presents Budget Amidst Opposition Boycott

Dhangadhi. The opposition party CPN boycotted the Provincial Assembly meeting when the Far-Western Province government presented the budget at midnight. Opposition MPs boycotted the meeting, expressing strong objection to the government's working style after the meeting started about 7 hours late.

Speaking after seeking time at the beginning of the meeting, Nepali Communist Party MP Man Bahadur Dhami accused the government of drama by bringing the budget at midnight. He declared that they would not participate in such a process, saying that this step of the government had created a humiliating and shameful situation for the Provincial Assembly itself.

‘The government created drama, why couldn't it present the budget on time? What is the government trying to show by bringing the budget at midnight? What law has stopped it for the last three years? What movement has stopped it? Not being able to bring the budget on time is the government's failure. We will not sit and watch this drama, we will boycott the meeting,’ he said.

As soon as MP Dhami finished his address, CPN MPs walked out of the meeting hall.

Amidst the boycott and protest of the opposition, Minister of Economic Affairs Vikram Singh Dhami is presenting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84. There was uncertainty throughout Monday due to disagreements between the ruling coalition partners Nepali Congress and CPN-UML regarding the budget ceiling and plans. An agreement was reached late at night only after Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah became positive about the demands put forward by UML Parliamentary Party leader Rajendra Singh Rawal.

Immediately after the agreement, the Council of Ministers meeting was held and the budget was passed. Only then did the Chief Minister and ministers reach the Provincial Assembly hall with the budget briefcase.

The budget speech, which was scheduled for 5 PM earlier, could only start at midnight due to internal tug-of-war between the parties. Due to the opposition's boycott, only the ruling party's MPs are present in the Parliament Hall.