KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) leader Gagan Thapa has sarcastically remarked that main opposition CPN-UML is having Oli-Convention in Chitwan as there has been no space for the voices questioning the autonomy of Chairman KP Oli.

Speaking at the NC leader Krishna Baniya’s panel declaration program in Kathmandu on Saturday, influential leader Thapa said that contest between the candidates vying same post strengthens the democratic practice in the party and the voices should not be suppressed in the name of seeking consensus.

“It is likely that when there is contest for the leadership various people vying leadership might place their candidacy, the election is the best means to resolve such issues,” Thapa said, adding, “When the differing voices are suppressed a political party takes to dictatorship.”

He said that UML’s gathering in Chitwan is not a General Convention in true sense as most of the leaders there are the sycophants of Chairman Oli.

In another context, youth leader Thapa remarked that party President Sher Bahadur Deuba and senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel should take rest from leadership and make room for the new leadership in the party.