KATHMANDU, JULY 17

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba today proposed in the party's office bearers' meeting that the Central Working Committee meeting planned from tomorrow be livestreamed.

Leaders such as Prakash Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Sitaula and General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, among other leaders, however, expressed reservation about livestreaming the meeting saying that some leaders might not be able to openly put forth their views due to livestreaming of the meeting.

Hence, the meeting should not be livestreamed.

Shashank Koirala said that leaders were of the view that they would first see the repercussion of the livestreamed media before deciding to continue the meeting.

The CWC meeting will continue for a few days.

NC Joint General Secretary Farmullah Mansoor, who is close to NC President Deuba told THT that Deuba proposed livestreaming the meeting mainly because he wanted the party rank and file as well as the public to know what the NC's views were on all political issues. 'There is no ideological divide in the NC as is the case with communist parties of Nepal. NC is a democratic party and divergence of views is quite natural,' Mansoor added. He said that almost all decisions taken by the party after its last national convention were taken unanimously, but still some leaders were spreading rumour that there were serious differences within the party.

In the recent months, the only occasion when we had divergent views was when the party wasdiscussing about giving vote of confidence to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal after the general election. What was noteworthy then was that even those who did not want party lawmakers to give vote of confidence to PM Dahal did not write note of dissent, Mansoor added.

Another Joint General Secretary Bhishma Raj Angdambe said party President Deuba proposed livestreaming the CWC meeting mainly to ensure that no party leader would distort remarks expressed during the meeting.

It was often seen in the past that party leaders would interpret and exaggerate certain remarks of other party leaders.

Deuba proposed livestreaming the meeting because such transparency would discourage rumour mongers and the people would know which leader said what on which issue,' Angdambe added.

Meanwhile, the NC meeting, which was also attended by former office bearers, fixed 10 agenda to be discussed in the CWC meeting.

Angdambe said party leaders could bring up the issue of taking disciplinary actions against Bal Krishna Khand who has been sent to judicial custody in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam case. According to Angdambe, Deuba is of the view that Khand, who has only been indicted in a criminal case, should not be punished unless he is proved guilty. Any punitive action against Khand before the court decides the case will be deemed as putting pressure on the court where the case against Khand and other accused are sub judice, Angdambe said quoting Deuba.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 18, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.