Kathmandu, April 17: The meeting of the high-level mechanism to function the Nepali Congress and UML coalition government on Wednesday evening ended without conclusion after two important members in the mechanism, Purna Bahadur Khadka and Gagan Thapa remained absent.
Home Minister and member of the mechanism, Ramesh Lekhak said that Khadka was absent due to sickness, however, Thapa didn’t attend the meeting called by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli even after waiting for him until late at night.
Thapa had gone to Parsa, however, he returned to Kathmandu in the evening but remained out of contact by switching off his mobile phone.
Meanwhile, earlier to the meeting, PM Oli and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba held a secret meeting. During the meeting, Deuba proposed assigning Gunakar Bhatta to the post of Nepal Rastra Bank governor.
Although Oli had wished to give a continuation to the acting governor Nilam Dhungana Timsina, Deuba took a stance on the name of Bhatta, finally, Oli accepted Bhatta’s name ending the deadlock.
NC General Secretary Gagan Thapa is not satisfied with the functioning of the government.
The appointment process will be completed before Deuba’s proposed Bangkok visit on Sunday for a health check-up.
To assign the new governor, the recommendation committee, coordinated by Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel. After completing the formality, Bhatta, executive director in the NRB will be appointed the governor, sources say.
People’s News Monitoring Service.