KATHMANDU: Five members of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Secretariat, including Executive Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” engaged in a heated discussion with Prime Minister KP Oli on Saturday.
NCP leaders who reached Baluwatar this afternoon with a letter demanding an immediate meeting of the Secretariat, however, returned empty-handed failing to convince Prime Minister Oli.
No agreement was reached between PM Oli and the disgruntled faction led by Prachanda on convening the meeting of the nine-member Secretariat pushing further uncertainty within the party.
Dahal, senior leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal, Vice-Chairman Bamdev Gautam, and Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha – all Secretariat members – had on Friday at an informal meeting in the party central office, Dhumbarahi decided to “talk” with PM Oli on convening the Secretariat meeting at the earliest to thrash out the intra-party dispute.
It should be noted that PM Oli had on Thursday warned that pressurizing him to convene a formal meeting of the Secretariat would be the starting point of a party split.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Dahal handed over a two-page letter to PM Oli demanding a meeting of the party Secretariat, discussion on the implementation of the Standing Committee decision, and the status of COVID-19, among other issues.
Party Spokesperson Shrestha informed that a written request has been made to convene a meeting on Sunday or Monday to discuss party unity and other issues.
While a majority of the Secretariat members are piling pressure on PM Oli, the latter has been adamant about his stance of not convening the meeting “anytime soon”.
The NCP is caught in a quagmire in recent times, particularly on power-sharing issues between Chairman Dahal and PM Oli.
A member of the Secretariat who participated in the discussion said that Chairman Dahal handed over the letter to PM Oli.
“The decision of the Standing Committee has not been implemented,” the leader quoted Dahal as telling PM Oli.
Dahal is learned to have told PM Oli that the party is facing several problems and that PM Oli has failed to convene the meeting of the Secretariat.
“You did not take our request seriously, did not act even when the people are dying of coronavirus pandemic without getting proper care,” Prachanda told PM Oli.
After going through the letter handed over by Dahal, PM Oli queried, “Did I ever say that I am not going to convene the Secretariat meeting?”
PM Oli added that he would call the meeting at an appropriate time.
The source then quoted an aggressive PM Oli as telling Dahal saying, “You always talk nonsense, and you keep on provoking leaders and cadres by running a faction. You bring up the minor issues.”
So sooner had PM Oli completed his statement, other Secretariat members, including senior leader Nepal and NCP Vice-Chairman Gautam responded saying, “We are shocked by the way you (PM) have been dealing with us. You have time to meet with your coterie, you have been holding nationwide virtual Zoom meetings, but refuse to hold party meetings.”
Senior leader Nepal raised concerns over PM Oli’s working style. The source quoted senior leader Nepal as telling PM Oli, “Don’t you think you have to undergo self-criticism for your working style and attitude?”
Nepal came down heavily on PM Oli for his “self-centric attitude” suggesting him initiating open discussion with party leaders.
Meanwhile, another senior leader Jhalanath Khanal said, “Everyone, including PM Oli, should abide by the decision of the Standing Committee meeting. It is high time that PM Oli convened the meeting of the party Secretariat. We all need to accept the outcome of the meeting.”
Likewise, NCP Vice President Gautam said that they are having a hard time to support PM Oli as he was facing a recurrent problem.
“Anyone who cannot accept collective leadership cannot be a communist. You (PM Oli) do not believe in collective leadership. Individualism has been your major problem,” Gautam told PM Oli.
All the Secretariat members present in the meeting pressurized PM Oli to convene the Secretariat meeting at the earliest. However, in response, PM Oli said, “Did I ever tell you I will not call the meeting?”
The members then asked PM Oli to fix a date for the meeting, let’s hold it tomorrow or the day after.
PM Oli then said, “I will tell you later…let me consult the issue.”
He, in fact, refused to set a date for the meeting. Other Secretariate members then walked out from the meeting hall saying they would consult later.
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