KATHMANDU: Internal debate over leadership change within the CPN-UML party has intensified, with growing pressure on party chair KP Sharma Oli to pave the way for new leadership.
During the party Secretariat meeting held on Saturday, several top leaders reportedly argued that the party could no longer move forward under the current leadership style and stressed the need for a new direction.
According to leaders present at the meeting, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel and other senior office bearers suggested that the leadership should create space for renewal in order to inject new energy and dynamism into the party.
Sources said Pokharel emphasized that facilitating leadership transition would help restore enthusiasm among party cadres.
Only a handful of leaders openly defended Oli during the meeting. Among those who have spoken so far, Vice-Chair Ram Bahadur Thapa and Secretary Mahesh Basnet strongly backed the party chair.
Meanwhile, Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta acknowledged that leaders had expressed differing views regarding the party’s future leadership.
Speaking after the meeting at Oli’s residence in Gundu, Bhatta said some leaders had advised the chair to resign and facilitate party restructuring, while others argued that the current leadership should be further strengthened.
He informed that the General Secretary, three deputy general secretaries, and five secretaries presented their views during Saturday’s meeting.
Bhatta added that the Secretariat meeting will resume on Sunday morning, after which the remaining four secretaries will present their views before Oli gives his concluding remarks.
He also claimed that discussions from Friday’s meeting had been exaggerated publicly and urged observers to view the internal debate as a normal party process.
According to Bhatta, no leader directly demanded Oli’s immediate resignation, but instead emphasized resolving problems under his leadership while moving the party forward.
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