KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 1
CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli has said although the unity of UML and CPN-Maoist Centre could not last long due to vested interests of some leaders of the erstwhile Nepal Communist Party (NCP), the UML, however, would carry on the legacy of the NCP. Presenting his 45-page political document on the first day of UML's statute convention in Godavari today, Oli said the UML was the continuation of the NCP. Unification of the UML and CPN-MC was nullified by the February 23 decision of the Supreme Court.
Oli said that after the last general election, CPN-MC Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal was trying to form a new government with the support of the Nepali Congress and it was only after the Madhes-based parties objected to the CPN-MC's attempt arguing that the UML, which was the largest force in the House of Representatives, should not be prevented from forming the government, that Dahal supported his party to form the government.
Oli's document talks about his tussle with the faction of the erstwhile NCP led by Dahal, saying that Dahal wanted to either take over the party or divide it to consolidate his power.
He said judiciary had now become a political power centre. He stated that the Supreme Court's order to restore the HoR and appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba as the prime minister was against the constitution and democracy.
He claimed that the newly formed CPN (Unified Socialist) had no political ideology and its Chair Madhav Kumar Nepal had been indulging in factional campaign since the last general convention of the party.
He said the principle of the people's multi-party democracy propounded by late Madan Kumar Bhandari would also guide the party's policies to achieve goals of socialism.
Commenting on the UML's relations with other political parties, Oli said although his party disapproved of policies of other parties, it did not want to name them as the main political enemy. He said the Nepali Congress was a capitalist and a status quoist party which has no firm stance on nationalism. He called Dahal an opportunist and a divisive figure and claimed hat Madhes-based parties had status quoist and narrow views.
Oli said he wanted to see differences between India and China, including border disputes, resolved soon.
He said if India and China resolved their differences, that could open up the possibilities of trilateral cooperation with Nepal.
"The US and NATO have withdrawn their armies from Afghanistan.
This has proved that no matter what the pretext is, external intervention and attack is wrong. The responsibility of finding a solution to a problem should remain with the country concerned and not any outsider force," Oli said in his paper. Oli was all praise for China for eradicating poverty and achieving the goals of a prosperous socialist country.
The first UML statute convention will end on Sunday. Almost 6,000 participants from across the country are taking part in the convention.
A version of this article appears in the print on October 2, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
