CPN-UML top guns consult to mend strained ties

Top leaders of CPN-UML held consultations in a bid to remove the bitterness within the party today.

In this connection, the factions each led by party chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal have held discussions at the UML main office at Dhumrabarahi here this morning.

The two sides had been sparring after a meeting of the Oli side made changes to the party's central committee office-bearers, nominating the leaders from the CPN Maoist Centre (CPN MC) who had sided with UML to the central committee and also amended the party statute, without the participation of the Khanal-Nepal side following the Supreme Court's order on March 7 of scrapping the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and revival of the CPN-UML and the CPN MC.

The CPN-UML and CPN MC had united to form the Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

The top-notch leaders of the CPN-UML have come together for the first time for consultations regarding keeping intact the party unity and resolving the acrimonies after the reinstatement of the House of Representatives and the revival of the CPN-UML by the Supreme Court.

Party general secretary Ishwar Pokhrel, leader Bishnu Prasad Poudel, Subas Chandra Nembang, Pradip Kumar Gyawali close to the Oli side and senior leader Nepal and leaders Bhim Bahadur Rawal, Ghanashyam Bhusal and Surendra Pandey close to Khanal-Nepal faction participated in the discussions today.

CPN-UML central member Khim Lal Bhattarai had opined that the discussions held today would help the party reunite by removing the bitterness and lack of communication of the past. "There are no ideological and conceptual differences among the top leaders as such. The differences are only on the working style and attitude. Today's discussions would make the party a united whole," he said.

Another central member Thakur Gaire believed that the discussions initiated today would help foster understanding among the top leaderships after the relations among them became strained due to the acrimony between the two sides for some days.

Meanwhile, Party chair Oli has called a meeting of the central committee for March 20 while the senior leader Nepal side is organising the national gathering of party leaders and cadres on March 17 and 18.