KATHMANDU: UML Vice-Chairperson and Bagmati Chief Minister Ashta Laxmi Shakya has given four suggestions to strengthen the UML.

Addressing a cadres’ training program at Nepal Academy in Kamaladai Thursday, Vice-Chairman Shakya drew the attention of the leadership to strengthen the UML.

Here are the four suggestions she gave to the leadership:

1. The UML is very distracted by ideology and there is no ideological training. From the 9th general convention, two panels were formed but factionalism persisted. Conflict was created within the party. Unfortunately, the UML never ran a smooth course. To strengthen the UML, we need to unite instead of forming panels.
2. We have ideas but never did ideological work. After the 9th convention, there was a lack of training and ideas and committees became tyrannical. Factionalism got space to breed in the absence of ideology, victimizing the party. We need ruthless review of our course to make a strong UML. The leadership must have the courage to do it.
3. We could not value the public mandate. So many Nepali people trusted us and brought us to power but we could not respect the mandate. We did not think that we should go to the polls again and took to irresponsibly ways by internalizing whatever happens happens. What clarification do we give to the people now? We ought to undergo introspection and give reasonable clarification to the people. Only after that, UML be strong by obtaining public mandate again.
4. Are we to undergo transformation? From leader to cadres to the entire organization, at all levels, are we going to transform ideas and practice or not? Or do we still carry ahead our feudal thinking? Let’s transform the frontline UML first. Let’s do the politics of ideas as we have been doing politics of trading barbs. We need to amend our ways. How do transform ourselves and our ways? The Statute Convention is here and Convention Committee has taken shape already. The mainstream Communist is the UML. The UML, which has come from sacrifice and self-sacrifice, needs to be strengthened and made law-abiding entity. Many things can be achieved by improving our moral conduct.