Kathmandu, May 6

Dissident faction of the Nepali Congress led by Sher Bahadur Deuba Sunday decided not to join the current government.

A meeting of the leaders held at Budhanilkantha residence of Deuba criticised the party leadership for appointing two ministers by breaching the party rule and regulation and decided to not join the Maoist-led government.

Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Saturday inducted party general secretary Krishna Sitaula and central member Surya Man Gurung in his new government at NC’s recommendation.

After the meeting, a leader of the dissenting group Bal Krishna Khand told reporters that the meeting concluded not to join the government.

He said, "The party has sent the two ministers in the government without taking any official decision from the central working committee which is against the party rule and regulation."

He said that the party president should have called the central working committee meeting to select the party representatives in the government.

He also claimed that the present government was not a national consensus government.

Meanwhile, NC leader Arjun Narasingh KC said that the UCPN-Maoist was not serious about concluding the constitution drafting process.

Speaking at a prize distribution function organised by Yasoda Devi KC Memorial Trust in Nuwakot, KC said that the Maoists should implement the earlier agreement to promulgate the new constitution within the stipulated deadline.

He said that his party was always against the ethnicity and caste based federalism and added that the state would be restructured only on the basis of identity and capacity.

On the occasion, he also honoured Tara Prasad Pathak, a teacher of Janagayan Secondary School and Lal Bahadur Kunwar, the teacher of Bagashowri Higher Secondary with the prize.