Nepali Congress proposes four-point plan to end stalemate

To end the current political impasse, senior Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel has floated a four-point proposal, aiming a "package deal" among major parties.

Thursday's Parliament meeting was postponed until Friday as the governing alliance led by Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli maintained that three bills related to the budget should be discussed first in the Parliament while, the NC and the Maoist Centre have been insisting that a no-confidence motion registered against the Prime Minister should be the priority, reports the Kathmandu Post.

To this, Poudel proposed a middle path during a top political meeting, in which he has outlined four points: withdrawal of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Oli, resignation of the Prime Minister, sorting out constitutional complexities for the election of (new) prime minister and (parties) working in tandem for the implementation of the constitution.

The ruling alliance has indicated that it "is open to discussing the proposal".

The proposal comes in a line with PM Oli's stand that the NC and the Maoist Centre should withdraw the no-trust motion for him to resign.

"I have proposed (that) we reach a deal in a package, as it could give us a long-term solution to the current stalemate," said Poudel.

Speaker Onsari Gharti has postponed Parliament meeting until 2pm Friday after major parties sought more time to find a meeting point.

The parties are scheduled to sit for talks again on Friday at noon.

NC leaders, however, said discussion on the no-confidence motion will move ahead on Friday if parties fail to reach an agreement before the House meeting, scheduled for 2pm, starts.

The ruling parties have also indicated that they would obstruct House proceedings if the no-confidence motion is tabled for discussion before the budget-related bills.