Kathmandu, Feb. 1 -- The winter session of the federal parliament commenced on Friday with heated back and forth between the ruling and opposition parties.

While ruling party leaders painted a rosy picture of the country following formation of the incumbent government, opposition lawmakers claimed deep frustration had gripped the common people, the economy had stagnated, and corruption had become rampant under the government's watch.

Addressing the House of Representatives, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli countered the criticism, claiming that his government, formed amid unprecedented pessimism, had successfully turned the tide, improved the economy and accelerated the pace of development. He said the government has already institutionalis...