Lamichhane’s cooperatives fraud case hangs like the Sword of Damocles for govt

The present government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the CPN (Maoist Centre) is in crisis because of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Rabi Lamichhane's involvement in cooperatives fraud. Evidence has proved that Lamichhane received millions of rupees from cooperatives without being their members in the past. A group of victims of the cooperatives in Pokhara from which Lamichhane had received money have lodged complaints while the main opposition Nepali Congress demanded the formation of a parliamentary commission to investigate the involvement of Lamichhane in the fraud. Although Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal gave a clean chit to Lamichhane while addressing the parliament, and UML Chairman KP Oli outright rejected the NC's demand for the formation of the parliamentary committee on Lamichhane, the government had to abruptly prorogue the winter session of the House as the NC continued exerting pressure for the formation of the commission. Even NC did not allow Home Minister Lamichhane to address the House and submit any bills during the winter session.

Irked by the sudden prorogation of the House session, the Nepali Congress has warned of obstructing the House in the upcoming budget session unless the government agrees to form the commission.

If the NC continues to raise the issue by obstruction House, the government may not be able to present the budget for the next fiscal year by the end of May, which is constitutionally mandatory. As such, the government has no option but to agree to form the commission as demanded by the NC or bring the budget through ordinance. However, the government may not dare to bring the ordinance and will form the commission. However, the formation of the commission could lead to the fall of the government because Lamichhane has warned of quitting the government if such a commission is formed. As such, the present coalition can be altered at any time during the budget session. Moreover, Lamichhane and his party were haunted by the cooperative frauds in the by-election in Ilam as voters often raised the issue to the leaders of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. Therefore, the case of Lamichhane hangs like the Sword of Damocles for the present government.