Kathmandu, Sept 23: CPN-UML leaders say a softer tone from Vice Chair Bishnu Paudel and General Secretary Shankar Pokharel changed the mood on the second day of the party’s central committee meeting in Lalitpur.
“Paudel appeared much more accommodating towards Chair KP Sharma Oli,” one leader said. “The general secretary was not as forceful as his earlier position had suggested.”
Pokharel said his report included suggestions he had received on restructuring the leadership. According to leaders close to Oli, he made clear that he was not seeking to replace the chair. Central committee member Surya Thapa wrote that Pokharel had told the meeting he would not accuse Oli while working alongside him, lead a special convention that could divide the party, or become chair without Oli’s consent.
Paudel endorsed the report Oli presented on Monday. Leaders close to Pokharel maintained, however, that he still favoured party restructuring. Some members believed Oli had asked the two leaders to speak in an effort to ease opposition within the committee.
The meeting also saw a dispute over who should chair its proceedings. Oli had presided on Monday, departing from the practice of having the general secretary do so. Krishna Gopal Shrestha objected, and Thakur Gaire protested when Oli appeared set to preside again on Tuesday. Oli said the party statute allowed the chair to run the meeting, but then handed the role to Pokharel.
Deputy General Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai was denied time to present a written statement and subsequently sent it to Oli.
According to publicity department chief Niraj Acharya, 118 central committee members spoke on Tuesday. Members were given three minutes each to comment on Oli’s report, with discussions due to resume Wednesday morning. Speakers called for changes in working style, consideration of the restructuring task force’s recommendations and party unity. Some said the time for campaigning to restore Parliament had passed.
A secretariat meeting is expected after members finish speaking. Leaders say it will decide whether to adopt the task force’s recommendations, alongside nominations to the central committee, the formation of the standing committee and politburo, and the allocation of responsibilities. Its decisions would then go to the central committee for approval.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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