Government repeals ordinance after its mission of splitting UML succeeds

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has repealed the ordinance relating to political parties (second amendment), 2021 after the government accomplished its mission of splitting the CPN-UML.

A press statement issued by the Office of President on Monday, said, "As per the decision of the meeting of Council of Ministers held on September 27 and recommendation made by the Prime Minister, President Bhandari has withdrawn the ordinance relating to political parties."

The ordinance was discarded in line with Article 114 (2) (b) of the Constitution.

On August 18, the President had issued the ordinance to amend the Political Parties Act, 2017, and ease the split of parties on the recommendation of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

The ordinance was issued to ease Madhav Kumar Nepal to form a new party by splitting the CPN-UML, which he succeeded by forming CPN (Unified Socialist. However, the ordinance came as a big relief to Mahantha Thakur and Rajendra Mahato, who also form Loktantrik Samajwadi Party by breaking the Janata Samajwadi Party.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had to agree to cancel the Ordinance after Upendra Yadav, chairman of Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal, reportedly was not ready to join the government fearing another split in his part, because many of those who could not get the post of ministers could form a new party based on the ordinance. However, Madhav Kumar Nepal was in favour of giving continuity to the ordinance.

UML chairman KP Oli had criticized the government for repealing the ordinance. He strongly objected to the decisions and said that the withdrawal of the ordinance proved that it was brought only to split the CPN-UML.

Obviously, the ordinance was issued on August 18 for Madhav Kumar Nepal, and now when Nepal broke the UML, the relevance of the ordinance ended and the ruling parties decided to withdraw it to prevent any split in their party.