Sudurpaschim Government Faces Budget Crisis as Coalition Partners Clash

Dhangadhi. The upcoming fiscal year 2083/84 budget of the Sudurpaschim Province government is only two days away from being passed. However, the dispute over the budget between ruling coalition partners Nepali Congress and CPN-UML has not yet been resolved. Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah, who rushed to Kathmandu for two days to resolve the dispute, returned to Dhangadhi on Wednesday morning without any concrete agreement. While in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Chief Minister Shah expressed confidence that positive dialogue was ongoing between the top leaders of UML and Congress and that some solution would emerge by Wednesday. Despite continuous discussions, phone conversations, and political consultations, no agreement could be reached between the two parties. Chief Minister Shah informed the Congress President, Vice President, General Secretary, and other leaders about the province's budget dispute. The Congress leadership also attempted to resolve the issue by communicating with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli. However, UML did not back down from its stance. According to a UML MP, Oli reiterated the proposal to rewrite the budget and include the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) in the power-sharing. Congress, however, did not appear willing to accept either of these conditions. For this reason, Chief Minister Shah returned to Dhangadhi on Wednesday morning without any formal agreement. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that some solution would be found in the budget dispute today. Discussions between central leaders are said to be ongoing. Economic Affairs Minister Bimal Dhami presented a budget of 37.70 billion rupees to the Provincial Assembly on Asar 1. Immediately after the budget was made public, the ruling coalition partner UML has been opposing it. UML alleges that the budget was presented unilaterally, does not include the party's suggestions, and the distribution of projects is unbalanced. Therefore, its main stance is that the budget should be rewritten. UML MPs have also registered a proposal to cut expenses, limiting the budget of six ministries, including those handled by ministers from their own party, to 1 rupee. UML Parliamentary Party leader Rajendra Singh Rawal has made it clear that the proposal will not be withdrawn until the budget is amended. UML is in a position of opposing the budget brought by the government while remaining in the government. UML has three ministers and one state minister in the Congress-led government. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, which received the largest budget, is also under UML's charge. UML MPs themselves have registered a proposal to cut expenses on the budget of that very ministry. Voices are being raised by Congress MPs and ministers to remove the UML ministers for attempting to defeat the budget while remaining in the government. Sources close to the Chief Minister indicate that the central Congress leadership has also given the Chief Minister the authority to make necessary decisions after waiting for UML's decision by Asar 32. According to the constitution, the provincial government must pass the budget by Asar 32. If the budget is not passed on time, it will affect development plans, service delivery, and government expenditure from the new fiscal year. The support of 27 MPs is required to pass the budget in the Provincial Assembly. Congress has 18 MPs. As one MP is abroad, Congress alone cannot secure a majority. It appears difficult to pass the budget without the support of UML's 11 MPs. Although Congress has discussed the possibility of seeking support from other parties, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) has responded that they cannot support the budget that UML has rejected. Chief Minister Shah has indicated that a task force can be formed to resolve the budget dispute. However, UML insists on not accepting any alternative other than rewriting the budget, according to Parliamentary Party leader Rawal. Meanwhile, it is claimed that discussions are ongoing between leaders of Congress and UML at the center. Although the Chief Minister has returned to Dhangadhi, efforts to reach a political consensus at the last moment have not stopped.