KATHMANDU: Nepali Communist Party (NCP) leader Haribol Gajurel has refused to withdraw a rebel candidacy in Sindhuli, defying a direct instruction from party leadership.
NCP Co-chairpersons Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Madhav Kumar Nepal on Friday directed Gajurel to ensure the withdrawal of the rebel candidacy filed from Sindhuli constituency No. 2. However, Gajurel made it clear to the top leadership that he would not, under any circumstances, force the withdrawal of Maheshwar Dahal, whose candidacy he himself supported.
The NCP has officially fielded Lekhnath Dahal (Rajan) as its candidate in Sindhuli-2. Despite this, Gajurel acted as a proposer for Maheshwar Dahal, effectively backing him against the party’s official nominee. While the party center stands firmly behind Lekhnath Dahal, the entire district committee has rallied in support of Maheshwar Dahal.
According to party sources, both Prachanda and Madhav Nepal issued strong verbal and written directives to Gajurel, the district committee, and the rebel candidate to withdraw the candidacy. All three sides, however, have rejected the instruction.
Gajurel has instead suggested that the party leadership reconsider and withdraw the official candidacy of Lekhnath Dahal, arguing that the decision ignored local realities and the district committee’s recommendation. He maintained that imposing a candidate against the district’s will would not be acceptable.
Maheshwar Dahal’s candidacy was filed in the presence of senior district-level leaders. He has received open support from leaders including Haribol Gajurel, Basanta Majhi, Paniraj Bamjan, and Binod BK.
Party insiders say the rebellion erupted after the NCP repeated Lekhnath Dahal’s ticket by bypassing the district-level candidate recommendation taskforce. Maheshwar Dahal is also known as the founding president of the Revolutionary Journalists’ Association during the armed conflict period.
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