Rautahat, October 16

A dispute has arisen in the Socialist Party in Rautahat lately owing to the ‘authoritarian’ ways of its provincial committee Chairperson Bijaya Yadav, who is also finance minister of the provincial government.

Though election to the party’s district working committee was held about two months ago, the party had withheld formal declaration of election results and formation of the committee.

Today, a dispute arose as Yadav, with Agricultural Management and Cooperatives State Minister Yogendra Yadav by his side, presented their own list of officials for the committee and got them to take oath of office.

Incensed at the leader’s unilateral ways, most of the party cadres boycotted the programme.

“Dozens of leaders and cadres, including me, walked out of the programme as our ‘respected’ leaders started reading out names from a list taken out of their pocket, being totally remiss of those elected,” said the party district committee Rautahat former vice-chairperson Shyam Bihari Yadav.

The situation had become tense for some time after leaders and cadres started walking out of the programme venue when 13 of 65 office bearers were sworn-in.