- Friday, February 28, 2025
During a book launch event on July 3, Prachanda credited trucking entrepreneur Sardar Pritam Singh with playing lobbying for his appointment as prime minister.
By: Shubham Ghosh
NEPALI prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ expressed regret on Monday (10) over his controversial remarks regarding an Indian businessman’s involvement in his premiership, acknowledging that he should not have made those comments in his current position.
During a book launch event on July 3, Prachanda credited Sardar Pritam Singh, a prominent trucking entrepreneur in Nepal, with playing a significant role in improving Nepal-India relations and lobbying for his appointment as prime minister.
Prachanda’s remarks stirred political controversy and drew criticism from various quarters, with the opposition demanding his resignation. However, a close aide of the leader said that he would not step down.
In a parliamentary session on Monday, Prachanda, who leads the Communist Party of India (Maoist Centre) clarified his earlier statements, acknowledging his mistake in speaking out as the prime minister.
He stated, “I should not have spoken in the manner that I did as the prime minister… On that day, I spoke not as a Prime Minister but as a father of a daughter.”
Prachanda further explained that he accepts responsibility for his mistakes and had intended to clarify the situation, but was unable to do so due to parliamentary obstruction.
After meeting with Prachanda, Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba, and CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal – United Marxist Leninist) chairman KP Sharma Oli, the opposition parties, including the CPN-UML, agreed to resume parliamentary proceedings.
Prachanda revealed that during his daughter’s cancer treatment in Delhi, they temporarily stayed at Pritam Singh’s residence, where Singh expressed his support for Prachanda’s premiership. Prachanda clarified that Singh was not proposing himself as the prime minister or seeking any appointment.
The CPN-UML opposition demanded Prachanda’s resignation for his remarks. Prachanda emphasised his commitment to Nepal’s sovereignty and national integrity and expressed his self-criticism in addressing the House. He sarcastically pointed out that the CPN-UML chief and former prime minister, Oli, had himself proposed Prachanda’s name for the prime ministerial position.
Prachanda affirmed his dedication to concluding the remaining work of the peace process and expressed his consultations with both the ruling alliance and opposition members. He emphasised the importance of collaboration between the ruling alliance and opposition for the nation’s interests and the protection of democracy.
(With agency inputs)
