Manama: Kuwait's Emir has expressed hope that "developments will not compel him to use his constitutional tools" after meeting two groups of opposition and pro-government lawmakers.
The statement came after a day of political drama during which lawmakers opposed to Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah appeared to have secured the support of 25 MPs, the number required to vote him out of power, Kuwait Times reported on Wednesday.
The liberal five-MP National Action Bloc, which was hesitant to declare its support for a non-cooperation motion against the premier, on Tuesday said it was prepared to "go to the end" in any grilling motion against the prime minister.
The opposition officially had 20 MPs and with the expected support of independent MP Hassan Jowhar and the five MPs of the National Bloc, it is likely to have 26 votes, one more than the required number to unseat the prime minister.
Mixed impressions
The drama on Tuesday began with a lengthy meeting between the Amir and the "Opposition Bloc". Lawmakers who attended the meeting came out with mixed positive and negative signals about its outcome, the daily said.
'Incapable of running the country'
Sources said that seven MPs spoke during the meeting, all focusing on the main issue that the prime minister and his government are incapable of running the country and fighting corruption, but stopped short of calling on the Emir to dismiss them both and dissolve the National Assembly.
The opposition lawmakers had accepted preconditions to meet the Emir that they will not call for sacking the government and dissolving the Assembly, "because these are the exclusive constitutional rights of the Emir." In a statement issued after the meeting, the Opposition Bloc said that the meeting was cordial and MPs expressed their high esteem of the Emir.
The lawmakers expressed their full respect of the constitutional principles that determine the powers of the Emir. Later, a member of the group MP Mohammad Al Mutair said that a grilling motion would be filed against the prime minister "to let everyone shoulder their responsibilities".
The opposition received a major shot in the arm during the day when the National Bloc issued a strong-worded statement saying they country needed a new government.
'Illegal sums of money'
The bloc also said it was ready to support "to the end" a grilling against the prime minister over an alleged corruption scandal in which about 15 MPs are suspected of receiving allegedly illegal sums of money.
The bloc insisted that Kuwait urgently needed to get out of its political paralysis.
MP Khaled Al Adwah, who was among the pro-government MPs who met the Emir, said that they heard his advice, guidance and his call for the need for cooperation between the parliament and the government.
MP Maasouma Al Mubarak said the Emir expressed concern for young people who were being pushed to the streets. According to the daily, although the day saw fast-paced developments, no action or decision is expected to take place until after the Eid Al Adha holidays which end on November 13.