Challenges implementation of Gen Z pact with the govt in first address after being sworn in
KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 18
The 11th General Convention of CPN-UML has reelected KP Sharma Oli - the prime minister ousted following the Gen Z protests on September 8 and 9 - to its helm. Oli has been elected as the party's chair for the third time in a row.
He defeated his rival Ishwar Pokharel by a huge margin of 1,099 votes. Oli secured 1,663 votes against Pokharel's 564 votes.
Prithvi Subba Gurung and Bishnu Prasad Paudel, who were candidates for vice-chair from the Oli-led faction, also won the election. Gurung and Paudel secured 1,737 and 1,675 votes, respectively.
The other vice-chair candidates, Ram Bahadur Thapa from the Oli faction and Gokarna Bista from the Pokharel faction, won the election. While Thapa secured 1,516 votes, Bista secured 1,368 votes.
Shankar Pokharel secured the position of general secretary with 1,228 votes and beat Surendra Pandey, who was running for the post from the Pokharel faction. Pandey secured 999 votes. Similarly, in the election for deputy general secretaries, Lekhraj Bhatta received 1,452 votes, Raghubir Mahaseth 1,368, and Yogesh Bhattarai 1,348 votes.
Guru Baral, who vied for vice-chair, and Bishnu Rimal, who vied for deputy general secretary, lost the election. Rimal, who is close to Oli, had the chance to manage Oli's political affairs. He was the chief political advisor when Oli became the prime minister after the 2022 general election. Both these candidates also lost bids to become the Central Committee members. Baral and Rimal secured 754 and 630 votes, respectively. Eight new members have entered the leadership positions from the 11th General Convention of the CPN-UML. Among the newly elected office-bearers, Raghuji Pant is one of the vice-chairs. He received 1,258 votes.
Similarly, Mahesh Basnet with 1,544 votes, Sherdhan Rai with 1,503, Hikmat Karki with 1,337, Khagaraj Adhikari with 1,331, Yamlal Kandel with 1,185, Rajan Bhattarai with 1,181, and Bhanubhakta Dhakal with 1,108 votes were elected in secretary position. Meanwhile, Oli objected to the 10-point agreement reached between the government and Gen Z in his first address since being re-elected as party chair. He commented that the agreement was a 'crude drama'. Oli stated, "This government has no right to enforce the constitution. The government-Gen Z agreement cannot be implemented. The UML does not allow for its implementation. Either prepare for the election, or it will happen along the way."
Gen Z leader Rakshya Bam, on the other hand, took to Facebook, writing that CPNUML delegates had yet again endorsed corruption, dictatorship, arbitrariness and autocracy. "KP Oli and his entourage (Bhajanmandali) are not standing in the people's court. The people have yet to give their trust. On Bhadra 23 (September 8), the youth raised their voices. The people will make their voices heard at the ballot box," reads her post.
"The dictator's entourage may say that the emperor's (Oli's) new clothes are stunning. However, the conscious and fearless members of the crowd claim that the emperor is naked. Let the people remember that the cruel dictator has been read throughout history with anger and hatred."
