Kathmandu, December 21

Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leaders continued to express their dissatisfaction with the poor performance of the party leadership and the government during the Standing Committee meeting today.

They not only expressed their grievances, but also criticised party Co-chair KP Sharma Oli for not being able to run the government as per people’s expectations even though the party commanded two-thirds majority in the Parliament.

Moreover, the leaders also objected to the joint political document presented by the co-chairs of the  party Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Speaking during the SC meeting, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, who is also a member of the party secretariat, and SC member Mani Thapa criticised the government’s performance.

However, party secretariat members Subas Chandra Nembang, who is also the party’s deputy parliamentary party leader, and Defence Ishwor Pokharel defended the government, saying it was on right track and doing enough to meet people’s expectations.

Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security Gokarna Bista also defended the government. Senior leaders like Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal, Bamdev Gautam and Bhim Rawal are also not happy with the government’s performance. Shrestha said the Cabinet should take decisions only after consultations in the party.

Shrestha said usually the government was run by the  party but it was not the case when it came to the Oli-led government. SC member Mani Thapa, while commenting on the performance of the party and the government, said the government had failed to live up to people’s expectations.

“This government has not been able to work like a strong communist government with  two-thirds majority,” he said, adding, the government had failed make people feel the difference.

Talking to THT, Thapa said the document, which Oli and Dahal presented, didn’t give a clear picture of the government and the party’s work. “In the document, they state that the government has strengthened foreign relations, but that is not the case. Our handling of foreign relations is no better, rather it has become worse than before,” he said. He also said that the government’s policies should be oriented towards socialism.

Thapa said the leadership should able to resolve all the issues, including factionalism within the party, to make the NCP  strong. Although, Nembang supported the government’s performance, he was also of the view that the government’s decision host Asia Pacific Summit was wrong.

Around 45 members of Standing Committee have expressed their views so far. Remaining committee members will speak tomorrow.