Butwal, August 5
A member of the Lumbini Provincial Assembly has accused Chief Minister Shankar Pokhrel of holding her hostage.
Bimala Oli, who had defected to the CPN-Maoist Centre from Pokhrel’s CPN-UML in May, claims Pokhrel and his team kept her inside the CM’s residence to stop her from participating in efforts to remove Pokhrel from his position.
She says Pokhrel’s team even forced her to sign a statement that stated she was a member of the UML and would remain in the party.
“But, I am a member of the Maoist Centre and will remain so,” Oli said speaking in a press meet in Butwal today.
According to Oli, UML leaders Bhumishwar Dhakal and Man Bahadur Raut had gone to her house in Tulsipur of Dang to take her to Butwal. She said she told them that she was preparing to go to Nepalgunj for treatment and they said they would take her there in their vehicle.
But, from halfway, they turned the vehicle to Butwal, she claimed.
UML denies the charge
Meanwhile, Bhumishwar Dahakal has dismissed the accusation saying he was at her house upon her request, and he took her to the chief minister as she asked for that.
“It’s not that we forced her to come to Butwal. How can we force her as she is not a child?” he says, “We will also organise a press conference to respond to her now.”
