Kathmandu, September 17
A meeting of CPN-UML leaders continued at Chairman KP Sharma Oli’s residence in Gundu on Thursday, with discussions focused on the party’s proposed reorganisation and the growing dispute over its leadership.
The meeting is being attended by Vice Chairs Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, and leaders Pradeep Gyawali, Prithvi Subba Gurung, Bhanubhakta Dhakal and Bishnu Rimal, among others.
The meeting is taking place at Oli’s residence even as some leaders have been pushing for his removal from the party leadership as part of the proposed reorganisation.
Thapa, who is considered close to Oli, had earlier proposed holding the meeting in Gundu, but some leaders had initially opposed the idea. They have returned to Gundu citing Oli’s health and other reasons, according to party sources.
According to sources, Oli has indicated that he is prepared to accept most of the proposals related to party reorganisation but has made it clear that he will not relinquish the chairmanship.
Dispute over task force report
The latest discussions follow disagreements over a report prepared by an UML task force on party reorganisation.
Although an editing committee was formed to resolve differences over the task force report, leaders failed to reach an agreement.
Thapa is the coordinator of the task force, while General Secretary Pokharel is its member-secretary. Pokharel prepared the report based on the mandate given to the task force.
However, differences emerged after Pokharel maintained his position on the report’s conclusions, including the proposal that Oli should step down as party chairman.
Thapa had proposed that Pokharel’s report be withdrawn, but other leaders did not agree to the proposal.
Paudel appears softer on Oli’s leadership
After several rounds of discussions with Oli in Gundu, Vice Chair Bishnu Paudel has reportedly taken a softer position on the proposal to retain Oli as chairman, according to party sources.
The push for party reorganisation has gained strength within the UML, but Oli has not agreed to step aside.
Leaders are now discussing how to proceed with the Central Committee meeting scheduled for September 21 to 23, particularly how to settle differences over the task force report before the meeting begins.
Some UML leaders told Onlinekhabar that there is a possibility the Central Committee meeting could be postponed if the leadership fails to resolve the remaining disagreements.
One office-bearer said the ongoing discussions were important because the party leadership had yet to resolve its internal crisis.
“The Central Committee meeting may not begin until the chairman’s crisis is resolved,” the leader said. “In that sense, today’s meeting is important.”
After the Gundu meeting, the task force is also expected to meet again on Thursday.
Pokharel refuses to withdraw report
Pokharel has maintained that he will not withdraw his report, arguing that he prepared it in accordance with the mandate given by the party secretariat and the task force.
The report explicitly proposes that Oli should step down as party chairman.
However, some leaders close to Oli have argued that if Oli is required to take responsibility and leave the leadership, other office-bearers who came into the party leadership alongside him should also accept moral responsibility and step down.
“Some leaders have taken the position that not only Oli but other leaders should also leave their posts,” another leader said. “Otherwise, one cannot write a fabricated report to portray oneself as blameless while targeting others.”
Thapa has submitted a written rebuttal to Pokharel’s report. Pokharel and other leaders have demanded that Thapa withdraw the rebuttal, warning that otherwise a response to the rebuttal would also be attached to the report submitted to the Central Committee.
The leaders had earlier held a three-day residential meeting in Balthali in an attempt to resolve disputes and differences over the report.
Leaders divided over Oli
According to party sources, General Secretary Pokharel, Vice Chairs Gokarna Bista and Raghujii Pant, Deputy General Secretaries Yogesh Bhattarai and Raghuvir Mahaseth, and Secretaries Khagaraj Adhikari, Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Rajan Bhattarai and Hikmat Karki are among those supporting the proposal for Oli to step down.
Vice Chair Thapa and Secretaries Sherdhan Rai and Mahesh Basnet have stood clearly in Oli’s defence, according to the sources.
Paudel is now also understood to be leaning towards supporting the continuation of Oli’s leadership.
