CPN-UML factions’ meet ends inconclusively

A meeting that took place between the factions of CPN-UML — one led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and another by Jhalanath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal — ended inconclusively today.

The top leaders of both factions of CPN-UML, in a bid to remove the bitterness within the party, held consultations at the party's central office in Dhumbarahi.

The two sides have been sparring since a central committee meeting held by 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.

It has been learnt that leader Nepal urged Oli to annul the decision unilaterally taken by the Oli side where none of the leaders from his side was present. However, Oli insisted that it was not unilateral but the party’s decision.

During the meeting, Nepal questioned how the decision unilaterally taken by the faction can be the party's decision. But the party chair insisted that the decision was the party's, one of the leaders close to Khanal-Nepal faction, who was present in the meeting, said. "Instead, Oli asked Khanal-Nepal faction to postpone National cadres' meeting called for March 17 and 18," he said, and added, "This is how the meeting ended inconclusively."

Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali  who was present in the meeting said, "We have urged Khanal-Nepal faction to postpone that meeting and to move ahead in consultation with one another."

Despite not arriving at a conclusion, the meeting overall was positive, said the party's spokesperson Gyawali.

Talks from a party unity would continue, he said. "From onwards, leaders will hold discussions in a series. The meeting has forged a common understanding. Through the meeting, a base has been created to take the party ahead at a new pace on this foundation," he said. He stressed the need for additionally strengthening the party and removing disputes within it by taking the court's verdict to revive the UML as an opportunity. "Our common understanding is that only a strong UML can unite the entire country and give a leadership while bringing other communists together," he said.

"We told that these decisions could be reviewed and corrected if needed. PM Oli told that these decisions could be discussed in the next meeting," he said.

There had been a proposal to fix the date for a party central committee meeting through mutual discussions reasoning that a gathering of the group slated from March 17 and 18 would weaken party unity, he said. 

Likewise, former Deputy Prime Minister Bhim Rawal who is close to Khanal-Nepal faction said that they would not cancel the cadres' meeting unless the party chair annulled his unilateral decision. He said that Oli refused to accept the fact that the unilateral decision taken by him is against the party statute.

Also present in the meeting were party general secretary Ishwar Pokhrel, leader Bishnu Prasad Poudel, Subas Chandra Nembang close to the Oli side and leaders Ghanashyam Bhusal and Surendra Pandey close to Khanal-Nepal faction.