KATHMANDU: Senior leader of the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) Jhalanath Khanal has warned that the party could head toward disintegration if what he called an authoritarian leadership style is not corrected.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Khanal strongly objected to the disciplinary action taken against leader Haribol Gajurel, stating that unless the decision is revoked, it will be difficult to save the party from sliding into disorder even before party unification is completed.
Khanal described the decision to expel a senior leader like Gajurel without even providing an opportunity for clarification as surprising and harsh. He also criticized the party leadership for making the disciplinary action public through the media without informing leaders from other party components, calling it a clear violation of established procedures and norms.
He further pointed out that despite a long time having passed since the announcement of party unity, the party has failed to form leading committees or develop an institutional decision-making process. According to Khanal, major decisions are increasingly being taken based on the wishes of a few individuals rather than through collective deliberation.
Khanal demanded that party coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ immediately revoke the action against Gajurel and convene an emergency meeting of leaders at the top level.
“If the aim is to build the Nepal Communist Party into a true communist party, such actions must be immediately suspended,” Khanal wrote. “An urgent meeting of comrades at the leadership level, including Haribol Gajurel, should be called. There must be serious and in-depth discussion within the party on why such steps were taken, a review of the entire episode, and the establishment of a system based on collective decision-making and leadership rather than an authoritarian style.”
With the general election scheduled for March 5 drawing closer, Khanal concluded that while principled unity among communist forces is essential, the current working style of the leadership is instead creating internal problems within the party.
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