Octogenarian Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala announced his resignation at the parliamentary meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) on Thursday afternoon.
“I step down from the post of Prime Minister as per the constitutional provision,” Koirala said in his message read out by Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel at the CA meet.
Addressing the CA meeting just after 3pm today, PM Koirala called on all CA members to lead the country towards progress and prosperity as per the people’s mandate.
“We have arrived at an important juncture after ending various problems and differences, however, there are still certain problems which still have to be addressed,” the PM’s statement said.
The PM expressed readiness to extend his support and emphasized that Nepal can be taken to new heights by resolving all the remaining problems through mutual agreement and strengthening the culture of coordination.
“Now there are both the challenges and opportunities facing the country at the same time and we should be able to get over the challenges and use the opportunities for the good of the people and the nation,” Koirala said.
Koirala stressed that every sector, caste, level and community must write the constitution themselves and lead the country towards a new dynamic and democratic era.
“We should use our capacity and qualifications for the drafting of a new constitution,” the outgoing PM said in the statement.
Koirala called on the Maoists- the single largest party in the CA- to start the process of forming a new government through consensus and abiding by the constitutional provision.
He also appealed to everyone to provide support in the writing of a new constitution at the earliest and end the uncertainty.
83-year old Koirala, who also holds the presidency of the ruling Nepali Congress, was elected the Prime Minister after the reinstatement of the House of Representatives on 24 April 2006 following the People’s Movement-II.
.png)
