Kathmandu, December 15

Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Secretariat member Bamdev Gautam presented a separate 16-page document opposing the ideas and analysis of the 22-page political document jointly presented by party chairpersons KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Gautam had earlier submitted his alternative political document at the party’s Secretariat meeting but the two leaders had unsuccessfully tried to woo him to withdraw it.

Gautam’s move comes amid growing criticism of PM KP Sharma Oli for his handling of party affairs and governance issues.

An NCP source said Gautam presented his alternative document saying the document of the two chairs had failed to address the grievances of party leaders.

According to NCP sources, Gautam could not accept the two chairpersons’ views on the party’s unification process, government’s performance and the party’s upcoming plans and programmes.

Sources said Gautam had floated different ideas on those issues, but they did not elaborate.

The Standing Committee meeting was held in party headquarters, Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu.

“Party Secretariat member Bamdev Gautam presented a written document with the objective of enriching the political document presented by the two chairpersons,” party Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha told media persons after the meeting.

Oli and Dahal, however, defended their document saying both the party and the government were on the right track. “Data on performance of the government are enough to prove that the government is doing the right thing but opponents are  blaming the government for almost everything because they do not want to give credit to the government for its achievements,” A Standing Committee member quoted the PM as telling the meeting.

Although the PM defended his performance, the joint political document mentioned the government’s performance in unclear, vague and diplomatic language.

According to Shrestha, Oli and Dahal have offered their views and analysis of the government’s performance, party unification and upcoming plans and programmes. The document also reviewed the government’s performance. Shrestha further said the national political situation had been interpreted in the document, which also analysed other political parties and their reactions.

Shrestha said the chairpersons’ document also mentioned the recent decisions of the party’s secretariat meetings.

Another Standing Committee leader also said the chairpersons’ document had stated that the government was able to maintain balanced foreign policy and was trying to prepare the foundation for the country’s prosperity.

Oli and Dahal have stated in the document that party unification will be completed within a month and the party will launch its special campaign across the country giving the message of party unification among the rank and file of the party from mid-January to mid-March.

Oli asked party leaders to raise their dissatisfactions, if any, within the party and not speak outside. Another meeting of the Standing Committee has been scheduled for Monday when leaders will express their views on the political documents.

Madhav Kumar Nepal, who had registered his note of dissent at the Secretariat meeting that selected office bearers of the provincial committee, is also expected to criticise the leadership’s actions. Grievances of 22 central committee members are also expected to be raised in the Standing Committee meeting.

The meeting was held after almost six months even though as per the party statute, Standing Committee meetings should be held every three months. Oli and Dahal clarified that there was delay in holding the meeting due to leaders’ foreign trips and festivals.