Kathmandu, February 25

Senior Nepali Congress leader Ramchandra Paudel today registered a written statement at the party criticising party President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s handling of affairs within the party and in the government.

He has stated that he had told Deuba after the 13th General Convention that he needed to be the president of the entire party and not just of one faction of the party, but Deuba did not pay any heed and that led to defeat of the party in the election. He said that factional politics had led to a situation of a party split. He said all party structures were in a state of disarray today.

In the statement, Paudel said had the Deuba government given relief to the public in time, that could have earned the party some popularity, but he took the decision to give relief only after his government was reduced to caretaker status. Thus, the decision earned bad repute for the party instead of increasing its popularity.

“You could neither run the government nor the party,’ Paudel said. He wondered why provincial assemblies of the party could not be conducted and why office bearers could not be elected in Dhanusha chapter of the party.

Paudel said the party lost the election because leaders who had contributed to the party were not given ticket to contest elections. He said the NC was not defeated in provincial and parliamentary elections just because of the alliance between two left parties.

He stated that NC’s internal power had weakened, which barred the party from running the central government as well as provincial governments in the initial exercise of federalism. The party has reached pathetic condition from every angle and in all sectors.

“It should be understood that meaning of the word ‘moral’ would not change for the NC, if responsibility was taken by the president for the shameful defeat in local, provincial and parliamentary elections,” reads the statement.

NC has to play the role of main opposition party in the Parliament as well as in all seven provincial assemblies and the party will not have enough strength to pressure the government to correct its wrong decisions. In that situation, the opposition party will be helpless.

Paudel also criticised Deuba for ignoring his suggestions on the appointment of ambassadors, Inspector General of Police, filing of impeachment motion against retired chief justice Sushila Karki, lack of transparency in the appointment of justices and creation of a jumbo Cabinet. He said that such appointments and impeachment motion had tarnished the party’s reputation in the eyes of the public and civil society.

He also criticised Deuba’s statement that candidates were defeated not the party. “Did you forget that the election is contested by the party and candidates are the party’s representation?” he questioned.

Paudel also questioned about formation of the left alliance, lack of seriousness in unity talks with Madhesi parties and alliance with Rastriya Prajatantra Party in the elections.

He asked Deuba for not to occupy posts repeatedly and give opportunity to someone else to become parliamentary party leader. In the statement, Paudel also gave suggestions on making the party future-oriented.

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