KATMANDU, March 21 -- Nepal's Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, one of three parties in the country's ruling coalition, publicly split Thursday over whether to support the government in an upcoming no- confidence vote. At a meeting, 17 of the party's 41 central committee members walked out after the others made a decision directing party lawmakers to support the government.
Nepal's 205-member lower house of Parliament is scheduled to consider a no-confidence motion against the government on Sunday. The motion is being sponsored by the Nepal Communist Party, the country's leading opposition force. While one RPP faction supports the existing alliance, the others want their party to withdraw and form a new coalition with the communists. The rebel RPP faction is led by Lokendra Bahadur Chand, the party's parliamentary leader. Although no formal split was announced, both factions Thursday issued their own contradictory press statements. The pro-government faction, led by Surya Bahadur Thapa, announced its members 'have been directed to vote against the no-trust motion.' The rebel faction issued a statement saying they strongly opposed the majority decision. Nepal has been ruled for the last six months by a Nepali Congress party-led coalition. The coalition came to power after a Communist government, which had ruled for nine months, failed to survive a no- confidence motion. The Communists, who have 87 seats in Parliament, now hope to form another government with the support of RPP dissidents and independents. Communist party leader Man Mohan Adhikari has said the current regime is corrupt and an 'obstacle to the nation's political and economic progress.' br-alk/upi
