By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Feb. 17: The government could not table the much talked-about American grant Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
It is expected to be tabled in the next meeting scheduled for Friday after forging consensus among the coalition partners in the government.
The main opposition CPN-UML continued its obstruction in the House, also on Wednesday.

However, Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota allowed tabling the annual report of the Tharu Commission while condolence messages were passed amidst the obstruction. Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dilendra Prasad Badu had presented the third annual report of the Tharu Commission on behalf of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

The HoR also endorsed condolence messages on the sad demise of Jagat Bahadur Tajpuriya, Laxmidas Manandhar and Duman Singh Thapa. Minister Badu said that efforts were being made to forge an agreement for tabling the proposal of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in the House after the meeting.
“Deadline has been fixed till Friday to forge consensus for the same,” he told the media persons.

He also said that the MCC was required to be tabled in the House to address related discourses and disputes in the public and political sphere. “We aim to find a common ground for taking the proposal to the parliament for deliberations.”

Minister Badu also said that the political parties realised they needed more time to develop an agreement on the matter. According to him, top leaders of the ruling parties will meet Thursday for further discussions on the proposal.
Jhalanath Khanal, senior leader of CPN (Unified Socialist), also said that they needed time to endorse the grant proposal in the House.

Senior leader Khanal argued that the document needed to be revised before proceeding towards parliamentary action as the public was not informed while signing it. “Consensus on some issues is dependent on amendments and revisions. Hence, force is not applicable in such cases.”

In his response to a media query that was it possible to be part of the government and to engage in a street protest at the same time, the former Prime Minister said, “Of course, it is possible and you can see it happening at the moment.”

CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Onsari Gharti Magar termed the MCC proposal the issue of national concern and it was agreed to not present the document in today’s HoR meeting with the realisation of the need for further discussions so as to establish a broad agreement before advancing towards the House proceedings. “We urged the same before the meeting.” According to her, the main opposition still seems unconvinced to move the proposal towards parliamentary proceedings.