Internal feud brewing in Nepal’s ruling NCP
Nepal’s ruling communist party leaders have again failed to negotiate a power-sharing deal between Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and executive chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, who convened a meeting of the powerful Standing Committee despite the former’s decision to postpone it, according to report by the Press Trust of India (PTI).
Prachanda and some senior leaders reached the Prime Minister’s official residence at Baluwatar on Tuesday, July 28, at around 11 am for the scheduled meeting of the 45-member Standing Committee of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) to iron out the differences between the two warring factions.
However, according to the Kathmandu Post, a statement by Prime Minister’s press advisor Surya Thapar said that the meeting was postponed. Meanwhile, a statement by Matrika Yadav, a Standing Committee member, stated that the meeting would be held at any cost, even if Prime Minister Oli refused to attend . Prachanda and senior party leader Jhalanath Khanal then went to meet Oli only to return to the meeting hall after the latter told them to do whatever they wished to . A briefing session was held by Prachanda to the Standing Committee members about his talks with Oli at the meeting hall.
According to PTI, quoting party sources, the Standing Committee members close to Oli did not attend the unilateral meeting convened by Prachanda. However, 29 Standing Committee members and two invitees were present at the meeting, which started at around 3:00 pm on July 28 and lasted for one hour.
A statement by Standing Committee member Ganesh Shah was cited stating that the meeting was postponed as the two leaders need more time for informal consultations to sort out their differences. The Standing Committee meetings have been postponed for nine times since June 24.
Meanwhile, a statement by party spokesperson Narayankaji Shrestha was has said that “It was against the party statute and inappropriate for PM Oli to postpone the meeting unilaterally.”
He further added by stating that “Today’s meeting did not discuss the party’s agenda but it decided to hand over the responsibility of convening another Standing Committee meeting to party chairman Prachanda after consulting with the prime minister.”
According to a member of the Standing Committee the discussion followed up with the criticism towards the Prime Minister by everyone who spoke on the occasion.
The report further mentions that on Wednesday last, a Standing Committee meeting was briefly held at the Prime Minister’s official residence. However, the prime minister did not attend the meeting. Subsequently, the party decided to convene another meeting a week later, on July 28, to review its activities, the government’s performance, finalising division of work among party’s cadres and leaders, and proposed general convention among other issues.
During Tuesday’s meeting, NCP Vice Chairman Bam Dev Gautam floated a ‘middle path’ solution to resolve the conflict between Prime Minister Oli and Chairman Prachanda. Reports say that Gautam proposed that Oli be allowed to stay as prime minister for the remaining term of two-and-a-half years of the House of Representatives (HoR) and chairman of the party until the unity general convention that Oli has proposed to hold by mid-December. Similarly, Prachanda should be given the responsibility as the party’s Chairman with all executive powers until the unity general convention of the NCP is held.
Gautam is also reported to have proposed that Oli be allowed to run the government independently even though the Chairman will have all executive powers. However, he proposed holding consultation in the party before taking any decisions on issues of national and international importance. The proposal also include making fixed criteria for the promotion and transfer of security officials and bureaucrats. It furthermore include reshuffling the Cabinet on the basis of the suggestions and consultation of the party’s central secretariat and holding consultation within the party’s Secretariat prior to unveiling of the government’s policies and programmes and hosting party’s official meeting at its central office.
Gautam also proposed holding all party meetings in its central office rather than at the official residence of the prime minister. Chairman Prachanda on the occasion asked the members not to take any untoward step which could harm the party. The report cited his statement stating “The party has reached a crucial phase.”
A bitter internal feud has been brewing in the ruling NCP since the last few weeks after top party leaders which includes Prachanda have demanded Oli’s resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were “neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate.” They are also against Oli’s autocratic style of functioning.
Later ,the differences grew further after Oli was reported complaining that some of the ruling party leaders are aligning with the southern neighbour to remove him from power after his government issued a new political map incorporating three Indian territories of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura.
Prachanda on Monday last week said efforts were going on to resolve the intra-party differences and ruled out an early general convention of the party as proposed by embattled Prime Minister Oli. Oli and Prachanda have held at least eight meetings in recent weeks to sort out the differences between them. But, as the Prime Minister did not accept the condition of a one-man-one-post, the talks failed. A refusal came from Oli to give up his post as prime minister as well as a co-chairman of the NCP.
