KATHMANDU, JULY 24

CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal today said attempts were being made to create rift within the five-party alliance.

Addressing a programme organised to mark the 8th memorial of late communist leader Nara Bahadur Karmacharya, Dahal said that the five-party alliance was able to put a brake on the autocratic moves of KP Sharma Oli, but opponents were still trying to find loopholes in the alliance with the intention of creating a rift.

'Opponents are trying to raise the issue of Millennium Challenge Corporation or Indo-Pacific Strategy or transitional justice issues to create rift in the five-party alliance,' Dahal said, adding that the evil designs of regressive forces can be checked only when CPN- MC, the communist movement and oppressed groups and communities remain united. Dahal, who met senior CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal today, said the five-party alliance was intact. He appreciated Nepal for giving a befitting reply to UML Chair KP Sharma Oli, who had pardoned 22 party lawmakers who had supported Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba during the trust vote.

'Nepal said Oli had acted like the King when he said he would pardon the rival faction leaders. Does that mean the rival faction leaders should start celebrating the pardon,' Dahal said and added that Nepal's remarks were a befitting reply to Oli's boastful remarks? Dahal took a potshot at Oli saying his hanumans (loyal supporters) would soon abandon him.

On a different note, Dahal said that he was under intense mental pressure for last six-seven days as all 49 lawmakers wanted to become the ministers in the Deuba government. 'We might get seven ministerial berths but all our party lawmakers want to become ministers. Those who can not become ministers will criticise the leadership,' Dahal said.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 25 2021, of The Himalayan Times.