Kathmandu, June 22 -- A storm of criticism broke out in the House of Representatives on Sunday as lawmakers from the ruling coalition lashed out at Deputy Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh, who leads Congress ministers in the Cabinet, and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel of the CPN-UML, accusing them of manipulating the national budget for narrow personal and political gains.

Congress lawmaker Purna Bahadur Tamang went as far as to publicly pray that neither Singh nor Paudel be re-elected in the next general elections.

"I pray before Lord Buddha and Pashupatinath that these two deputy prime ministers do not return to this House after the 2027 elections," Tamang said from the House rostrum.

He accused the two mini...