KATHMANDU: Unified Socialist Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal and senior leader Jhalanath Khanal held a tense meeting on Saturday at the party’s central office in Aloknagar, amid escalating internal conflict.
The two leaders have been at odds for weeks, with Khanal openly criticizing Nepal’s leadership style. In response, Chairman Nepal reportedly asked Khanal to leave the party if he is dissatisfied.
Khanal has argued that the Unified Socialist, formed after splitting from the CPN-UML, has failed to establish its political legitimacy. In contrast, Nepal claims that the party’s ideological foundation has already been validated, citing the unconstitutional dissolution of Parliament under former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli as justification for the split.
Nepal has accused Khanal of undermining the party and even suggested that he return to the UML to “serve KP Sharma Oli.” Khanal, for his part, has called on Nepal to step down from the leadership, asserting that the party cannot function with what he describes as a “narrow mindset.”
As the rift deepens, second-tier leaders, including Rajendra Prasad Pandey, Pramesh Hamal, and Ghanshyam Bhusal, intervened by facilitating Saturday’s meeting. Despite their efforts, Khanal expressed disappointment after the talks.
Speaking after the meeting, Khanal said the encounter was fruitless and described it sarcastically as “a great achievement.” He claimed Chairman Nepal dominated the meeting with a monologue and failed to address the party’s internal problems.
“When I went to meet the chairman in Aloknagar, nothing happened apart from casual conversation,” Khanal said. “I asked him some questions, but he simply told me what he wanted to say. He did not offer any solutions to the current issues in the party. I just sat there for 40 minutes listening to him. Then he left for Janakpur.”
Khanal noted that Nepal expressed willingness to meet again, but reiterated that the recent discussion lacked any substance. “Yes, we talked, raised our voices, exchanged views—but nothing was resolved,” he said.
Meanwhile, the arrival of Bamdev Gautam into the party with the third-highest rank has added to the tension. Gautam and Khanal are reportedly unhappy over being sidelined and not given responsibilities within the party.
On Saturday, the two held a meeting in Dallu, which is being viewed as significant given the growing divide between Khanal and Nepal.
Observers see Khanal’s outreach to Gautam as a strategic move amid his dispute with the party leadership, potentially signaling a shift in internal alliances.
Comment