KATHMANDU: A week after the 11th general convention of the CPN-UML, party Chair KP Sharma Oli has yet to hold discussions with rival leader Ishwor Pokharel.
Oli reportedly ignored the Pokharel camp, which contested him at the 11th general convention, even during the oath-taking ceremony. Leaders from the rival side have described this as an insult to those who challenged Oli within the party.
Surendra Pandey, who lost the race for General Secretary, said Oli and other senior leaders have not communicated with them since the convention ended. According to Pandey, members of the Pokharel faction were not invited to the oath-taking program.
“We had healthy competition at the general convention. Voting scheduled for December 16 was postponed to December 17 due to technical problems, and we accepted that process,” Pandey said. “The results were announced on December 18, but since then the leadership has not even shared basic information with us. Dialogue is a separate issue altogether.”
Suppression of differing views?
Following the 11th general convention, Oli has further consolidated his authority within the party, securing what leaders estimate to be control over nearly 95 percent of the organization and a clear majority in the secretariat. In the 10th general convention, Oli expelled Bhim Rawal, who had challenged him, a precedent that has fueled concerns among Pokharel supporters that a similar approach could now be taken against dissenting leaders.
Raghuji Pant, who was elected vice-chairman as an independent candidate, said the CPN-UML will move ahead in line with its established methods and values. He added that he would continue to raise his voice to ensure proper management of party leaders and cadres.
Since the convention, leaders aligned with Pokharel have largely been excluded from activities of the new working committee. Conversely, when the Pokharel group organized a thanksgiving program, leaders close to Oli criticized it. Pradeep Gyawali, elected as a central committee member after failing to secure the general secretary post, termed the meeting inappropriate.
Apart from Pokharel, Oli has reportedly not initiated dialogue with other senior leaders either, including Vice President Asta Laxmi Shakya, who stepped back after five decades of active political involvement.
Party Secretary Padma Aryal, however, dismissed claims of deliberate exclusion. “The chair did not intentionally leave Comrade Ishwar out of the oath-taking ceremony. There may have been shortcomings as the program was rushed,” she said.
“Comrade Ishwar has made long-standing contributions to the party and has been elected to the central committee. We are working to bring him into the standing committee, and he will take the oath.”
Asked about the role of other leaders from the Pokharel group, Aryal said the party was not sidelining them. “We are not stopping anyone from participating or making them inactive. We are preparing to adjust them in appropriate roles.”
She also rejected comparisons with the case of Bhim Rawal, saying no leader would face a similar fate. “Chair Oli will move forward by respecting the democratic system and values of the UML,” she added. On whether Oli should engage in self-criticism, Aryal said party committees and meetings are the appropriate forums. “Self-criticism is done within party structures,” she said.
Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, who supported Pokharel, has also reportedly discussed the idea of forming a parallel committee within the UML. However, given Oli’s consolidated position within the party, she is not currently seen as likely to pursue such a move.
Meanwhile, Yogesh Bhattarai, a deputy general secretary elected from the Pokharel panel, warned against factionalism. “The party will not be run based on the number of panels,” Bhattarai said. “If there is any tendency toward division—whether against Comrade Ishwar or others—we will oppose it. The UML has its own principles and methods. Diverse opinions must be respected and not treated as acts of revenge. The general convention is a process of healthy competition, and the party should move forward by properly managing those who did not win.”
Leaders insist the party will not split
Raghuji Pant, who was elected vice-chairman as an independent candidate, said the CPN-UML will move ahead in line with its established methods and values. He added that he would continue to raise his voice to ensure proper management of party leaders and cadres.
Pant stressed that there would be no “two-line struggle” within the UML, arguing that the Ishwor Pokharel faction is in no position to split the party. “The UML will move forward with one mind and one heart,” he said.
Prithvi Subba Gurung, elected vice-chairman from the Oli camp, echoed similar views in an interview with Khabar, stating that the Pokharel faction would not break the party. He said the UML would provide Pokharel and his supporters with a respectful space and move ahead collectively, emphasizing that factional labels should have no place after a general convention.
“After the general convention, there is no factionalism in the party,” Gurung said. “Comrade Ishwor has a long history of struggle and sacrifice in the UML. He will never take steps to divide the party. We will move forward by giving him due respect. Our priority is to prevent any two-line struggle and strengthen party unity.”
Responding to complaints from the Pokharel faction about Chair Oli’s lack of self-criticism, Gurung said such matters should be handled internally. “Internal issues must remain within the party. They are reviewed and addressed through party mechanisms,” he said, noting that the newly elected working committee from the 11th general convention has already held one meeting.
Preparations for protest
While reiterating that they have accepted the results of the general convention, leaders from the Pokharel faction have warned that they will protest if they face discrimination. The group met in Kathmandu on December 20, formally acknowledging the election outcome but signaling readiness to resist any divisive tendencies.
In a meeting of central committee leaders and secretariat members holding dissenting views, the group decided to pressure the party leadership to function in line with its rules, norms, and traditions.
The meeting also reviewed the general convention, with participants arguing that had voting taken place on December 16 as scheduled, leaders such as Yogesh Bhattarai and Gokarna Bista might have secured office-bearer positions.
“We suffered additional losses due to problems in the electronic voting system,” a leader said. “If voting had taken place on December 16, the results could have been different. We believe there was manipulation on the night of December 16. Still, we accept the outcome. But if there is any discrimination in the future, we will oppose it firmly.”
Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, who supported Pokharel, has also reportedly discussed the idea of forming a parallel committee within the UML. However, given Oli’s consolidated position within the party, she is not currently seen as likely to pursue such a move.
Comment