UML will now focus on statute, national convention: Oli

Main opposition CPN UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has said the party will now focus on statute convention and national convention by creatively implementing the 10-point proposal to resolve the intra-party disputes.

In a press meet organised today to make public the decision of the CPN UML Standing Committee (SC) meeting and other contemporary political issues, Oli said the party will now focus its attention on statute convention scheduled to be held from September 20 to 22 and national convention from November 26 to 29.

CPN UML Chair presented the party unity proposal passed by the SC meeting in the press meet held at Tulsi Lal Memorial Foundation in Chyasal, Lalitpur while the split group led by Madhav Kumar Nepal was fulfilling the verification process for the registration of the new party, at the Election Commission today.

On the occasion, former Prime Minister Oli expressed his gratitude to the task force members and leaders who contributed to retaining the party unity and avert the division of the party. Oli said the party will be made ideologically clear, organisationally agile, emotionally united and committed to common goals.

The statement issued by party Chairperson Oli read, "I welcome the leaders who have stood firmly for unity and even in the 10-point proposals prepared by the task force. A strong and united CPN UML is not only the desire of the party ranks but also of the people who are in favour of political stability, democracy and progress. We are all reminded of the recent past experiences of how the whole system and the county had to incur the losses when the political parties that were the pillars of democracy divided.”

He expressed his commitment to adopt a constructive approach by assimilating the fact that today's CPN UML is a continuation of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). As the CPN UML is the mainstream of national politics, it is not appropriate to talk of dividing it and forging greater communist unity, Chairman Oli opined.

Stating that failure is inevitable for the leaders and cadres who have split from the CPN UML and are in the process of registering a separate new party, Oli reiterated that there will be no prejudice or discrimination against those returning to the main party as the SC meet has formally called on them to leave the harmful path and return.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the abrupt end of the session and the issuance of the ordinance on party split as the session of the Parliament was ongoing.

He also expressed dissatisfaction over the non-issuance of notice by the Speaker for nine days even after the Parliament Secretariat was informed of the party's action taken on the leaders with a clear basis of indiscipline and involvement in party split activities as per the law. In response to a query, Oli said that he would hand over the leadership of the party at a suitable time.

During the press meet, CPN UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai, who is also head of the party's publicity department, asserted that there was no need to split the party as the task force had prepared a 10-point proposal with the agreement of Chairman Oli and Leader Nepal.

Present at today's press meet were Vice-presidents Yubaraj Gyawali, Asta Lakshmi Shakya, Bhim Bahadur Rawal; General Secretary Ishwar Pokhrel, Deputy General Secretary Ghanashyam Bhusal, SC member Ram Bahadur Thapa among other leaders.