KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 1

General Secretary of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Bishnu Prasad Paudel, who is also the finance minister in KP Sharma Oli’s Cabinet, today stated that party unity was under threat.

Paudel, who is a close aide of Oli, wrote on Twitter, “A serious crisis faces the NCP’s unity at this hour and I urge all leaders, cadres and members of our party to protect the unity of the party by resolving the current contradictions in the party.”

Paudel’s call for party unity comes at a time when the faction of the party led by party Cochair Pushpa Kamal Dahal is miffed at the PM for acting unilaterally, defying party rules and norms.

Dahal is angry with Oli for acting unilaterally to resolve issues related to the no-trust motion registered against Karnali Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, not replacing most of federal Cabinet members, delaying registration of FIR against those accused of murdering NCP cadre Mukesh Chaurasiya of Parsa district and the government’s lacklustre response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Dahal faction is also unhappy that the PM met India’s Research and Analysis Wing Chief Samant Kumar Goel recently.

NCP Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha said the party was facing a serious crisis, but it was leaders’ responsibility to protect party unity by adhering to party rules and ideology. Shrestha said the party’s Standing Committee had recently decided that the party should be run as per party rules and norms.

NCP Standing Committee had decided that the party would not interfere in the PM’s day to day functioning, but the PM was required to follow and abide by party rules and decisions on policy issues and while appointing ambassadors and constitutional office bearers.

“Dividing the party is not in the interests of the country and the people, and was also against people’s mandate,” he said.

Shrestha said, “We can protect party unity by following party rules and norms. Running the party in accordance with the party’s policies and ideology will help protect party unity.

That will also ensure stability of the government,” he said.

The party spokesperson said the PM did not accept Dahal’s proposal to discuss all current issues in the party’s Secretariat meeting. NCP Standing Committee had recently decided that Oli would have free hand to handle day-to-day government functioning, but would have to consult the party and abide by party decisions on policy issues, including political and constitutional appointments.

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