CPN-UML Battel : What’s the next step of Prime Minister Oli ?

Kathmandu : After a failed attempt to dissolve the House of Representatives on December 20, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and the Madhav Kumar Nepal faction worked hard to turn the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) upside down.

Declaring themselves as the real beneficiaries of the former CPN (Maoist), both the parties engaged in a power struggle for about three months. The election symbol was more the focus of both parties than the name of the party.

After the Supreme Court threw the strength of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) in the court of Rishi Kattel on March 7 and revived the East UML and the East Maoist Center, the force of political contradiction has entered the CPN-UML.

As soon as the dispute over the name of CPN (Maoist) was settled, the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) seemed calm. Although some UCPN (M) leaders have joined the UML, there is no internal trouble in the UCPN (M). However, the internal conflict within the CPN-UML has reached its climax.

There have been great ups and downs in Nepali politics since January 20. But Prime Minister Oli, who has been at the center of politics ever since, is still at the same point. The difference is that Oli, who landed with Prachanda-Nepal at that time, is now fighting only with the Madhav group.

Leader Nepal and senior leader Jhala Nath Khanal’s group, which had joined hands with Prachanda, have returned to the CPN-UML. The Khanal-Nepal faction is further irritated after Prime Minister Oli convened a meeting of the Central Committee on March 11 and changed the responsibilities of the leaders.

After a three-month tug-of-war, a meeting between Oli and the Nepal faction was held at the party office in Dhumbarahi on March 20. In the meeting, the Nepal group demanded that all the decisions taken after March 8 should be canceled. The Nepali side has demanded that the party should move forward from the same point that the court has brought the party to the pre-unification stage before June 12, 2008.

The Oli faction, however, said that it was a decision of the majority and that the issue would be resolved through continuous discussions. Seeing that the problem will not be solved immediately, the Nepal group has given continuity to the cadres’ meeting scheduled for March 19 and 20. The Sankit Nepal group has said that they are queuing up to take action after seeing Oli being taken away by Pelerai. Nepal group leader Yogesh Bhattarai has said that the party and the country will not move forward by taking action against the leaders.

On the other hand, party chairperson and prime minister Oli has instructed all leaders and cadres not to hold arbitrary factional rallies against the party leadership and not to participate in such rallies. Stating that the party will abide by the rules and regulations and all will be equal in the eyes of the law, he has also indicated that action may be taken if any faction gathers against the instructions. Prime Minister Oli has commented that the Nepali side wants to rule the jungle by talking about law and order in the streets.

Stating that they have a broad mindset, Oli urged the Nepal group to stand up for party unity including self-criticism. Prime Minister Oli said that the leaders and cadres of the Nepali side did not do well as they did not attend the tea party called by the party chairperson and warned not to think that Oli would address them by threatening and pushing them.

Prime Minister Oli has also claimed that the Nepali side has gone beyond the rules and regulations to split the party.
Despite making strong statements against the factional system, Prime Minister Oli has been looking a bit soft lately. In talks with the dissident Nepali side, Prime Minister Oli has played the role of party chairman. Prime Minister Oli has also expressed his desire to hold talks with Maoist Central Committee Chairman Prachanda.

It is clear that the sharp contradictions and divisions within the party will be a big blow to both the parties. That is why both groups are in favor of keeping the party together. But at the moment, the consensus in the UML seems to be stuck in fear.

In the former Communist Party of Nepal (CPN), the Prachanda-Nepal faction had removed Prime Minister Oli from the general membership by a majority. Prime Minister Oli has taken this issue as an issue.

Oli, who has been repeating the same complaint in every speech and interview, expressed the same sadness at the tea party held on March 19, saying, I was even expelled from ordinary membership. ‘

There is a general analysis that the decision made by Prime Minister Oli on April 11 is also a product of Ikh. However, the Nepali side is afraid that President Oli will push them to the side of the majority. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the last meeting, discussion and gathering of the Nepal group is only a struggle with Oli, that is, an initiative to bring Oli to size. Therefore, if Prime Minister Oli does not show remorse and the Nepali side has internal self-criticism with Oli as the party president, this dispute will be resolved immediately.