KATHMANDU: A Standing Committee meeting of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has been scheduled on Sunday with no progress made in settling feuds within the party.
Before the meeting convened at the PM’s residence in Baluwatar, Chairman and Prime Minister KP Oli who is in the minority within the party has continued his efforts to create a majority in his favor.
The Prime Minister has offered Vice-Chairman Bamdev Gautam to lead the party from the former UML group after Executive Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda and senior leader Madhav Nepal pressed him to quit.
Gautam consulted with 14 central members close to him after his residence in Bhaisepati on Friday following the proposal from the Prime Minister and Chairman Oli.
The participants had suggested to Gautam to move ahead only if such package agreement is accepted by Executive Chairman Prachanda and senior leader Nepal.
Gautam has once again become excited by Oli’s proposal.
However, leaders close to him have not been convinced as Gautam been ‘betrayed’ time and again.
According to sources close to leader Nepal, General Secretary Bishnu Poudel and Lumbini Chief Minister Shankar Pokharel had also met Nepal and offered to be ready to become Chairman.
However, General Secretary Poudel, Standing Committee members Ghanshyam Bhushal, Pokharel, Yogesh Bhattarai and others have been discussing the option of making Gautam the party’s Chairman.
A leader claimed that Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’, Industry Minister Lekhraj Bhatt, Standing Committee members Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Haribol Gajurel, and Mani Thapa also agreed to this option.
Sources claimed that Oli thinks that he will get a majority in Secretariat after Gautam joins his camp is even preparing to take a decision in his favor through Secretariat protesting against the Prachanda-Nepal group in the Standing Committee meeting.
However, the Prachanda-Nepal faction is preparing to take a decision through a majority in the Standing Committee saying that Oli has not implemented past agreements.
The Prime Minister is under immense pressure to withdraw the ordinance on Constitutional Council but is in no mood of repelling the ordinance unless Prachanda withdraws his political proposal.
During an earlier meeting with Chairman Prachanda, the Prime Minister had said that he will withdraw the ordinance after consulting once with President Bhandari. Prime Minister Oli consulted with President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Saturday evening.
A gathering of Prachanda and senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal faction on Friday had decided to take a further step against the Prime Minister if he refuses to withdraw the ordinance as per the party’s decision.
On Saturday, the Prime Minister had urged Prachanda to withdraw his political proposal during a meeting held at Prachanda’s residence in Khumaltar.
In response, Chairman Prachanda said that the proposal would not be withdrawn and that a conclusion should be reached after discussing it in the meeting of the Standing Committee.
Disputes and crises within the ruling party have deepened after Oli issued a controversial ordinance on the Constitutional Council while the top leadership was sharply divided over separate proposals by Chairperson.
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