Jhalanath, Ghanashyam rally against Madhav Nepal

KATHMANDU: Internal rifts within the CPN (Unified Socialist) have deepened, with the conflict escalating to parallel gatherings of rival factions.

On Sunday, senior leader Jhalanath Khanal organized a separate factional meeting in opposition to party chair Madhav Kumar Nepal. General Secretary Ghanashyam Bhusal and leader Ramkumari Jhankri also joined the dissident group.

Vice-chair Jayanti Rai, Dr. Bijay Paudel, Kedar Sanjel, Dharma Raj Niraula, Hirendra Shahi, and Garima Shah were among the participants. Standing Committee member Hari Parajuli, Politburo member Laxman Lamsal, and former Youth Union chair Naresh Kumar Shahi were also present.

The meeting was held at Baneshwor Campus in Shantinagar, Kathmandu. Leaders said they were compelled to gather due to Chair Nepal’s “authoritarian and unilateral approach,” as well as his “arrogant behavior,” while he is also facing corruption charges.

Although Khanal had long opposed Nepal’s leadership, General Secretary Bhusal had remained largely silent until now. His open support for Khanal signals an escalation in the power struggle.

The dissident faction expressed dissatisfaction with Nepal’s intensified unity talks with the CPN (Maoist Centre), accusing him of trying to hand over the party without proper consultation.

The dispute has now spread beyond the central leadership to sister organizations, with parallel activities being reported in the Youth Union Nepal and ANNFSU.

The situation worsened after Madhav Nepal brought Bamdev Gautam , who had left the UML and remained inactive for four years, into the party, fueling speculation of an imminent split.