Rajbiraj, January 19:

Chairperson of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party-Anandidevi (NSP-A) Anandidevi Singh today threatened to quit the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) if Minister for Supplies Shyam Sundar Gupta is not sacked.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the party here, she said: “Minister Gupta piled pressure on the party for the formation of a national working committee of the party. However, he involved himself in undesired activities when I formed the committee for the good of the party.”

“The party has taken ‘token action’ against Gupta though he mistreated party general secretary Dr Dambar Narayan Yadav and Bijay Yadav of the Youth Forum in the party office,” she said, adding: “On January 11, a letter was sent to the Prime Minister mentioning this and to sack him. The recommendation made in the letter has not been implemented.” Stating that the NSP-A was also involved in Jana Andolan II, she claimed that the government, by inviting a person suspended by the party to attend the meeting of seven parties, is attempting to create a division in the party. “We will be forced to quit the seven-party alliance if such acts are given continuity,” she said.

Saying that a meeting called by minister Gupta “in the capacity of senior vice-chairman of the party for January 22 is against the party statute,” she urged the party cadres not to attend the meeting.

Senior vice-chairperson Khusilal Mandal blamed minister Gupta for piling pressure on him to appoint Gupta as vice-chairman and his son as member of the party’s national committee.

“Games are being played to weaken the party by calling Gupta, against whom the party has taken disciplinary action, in the meeting of the seven parties,” Mandal said.

Central member Amrita Agrahari said she had suggested that Anandidevi be made patron of the party. “However, some persons with vested interests appointed her chairperson during the unification of the party,” Agrahari said.