Bhim Rawal: Was I expelled from the party for contesting the chairmanship?

KATHMANDU: Former CPN-UML Vice Chair Bhim Rawal, recently expelled from the party, raised a series of questions against Chair KP Sharma Oli during a press conference in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

Rawal questioned whether his candidacy for the chairmanship during the Chitwan General Convention led to his expulsion.

Referring to the 10th General Convention, Rawal pointed out that he was criticized for running for the chairmanship. He countered by asking why Oli himself contested against Jhala Nath Khanal in the 8th General Convention and Madhav Kumar Nepal in the 9th.

“I was asked why I contested for the chairmanship. This compels me to ask: Why did you (Oli) compete against Jhala Nath Khanal in the 8th convention and Madhav Kumar Nepal in the 9th?” Rawal remarked.

He further alleged that party members were mobilized to protest outside his hotel in Chitwan during the convention, claiming that these individuals were provided alcohol to provoke them. “Drunk youths were made to chant slogans outside my hotel. At my request, an armed police unit dispersed them,” he stated.

Rawal also complained about unequal treatment during the convention, claiming that while junior members were accommodated in special hotels, he was assigned a modest room.