Things heat up at NCP Standing Committee with discussion of PM's controversial remarks

KATHMANDU: The Standing Committee meeting of ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) held today got heated up as Prime Minster KP Sharma Oli's recent controversial statement on India, among others things, were put on table for discussion.

As things progressed, party co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal asked PM Oli to quit owing to government's gross, all-round incompetence, according to a source close to Dahal.

Many NCP (NCP) leaders came down heavily on PM Oli for failing to deliver as well as for applying diversion tactics to fend off criticisms.

Party's upper rung leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal and Bamdev Gautam joined Dahal in demanding resignation from the Prime Minister on the ground of morality as they claimed that the prestigious figure like PM should not have made such remark that undermines the sovereignty of Nepalis and the prestige of the Parliament.

They have demanded that action should be taken against PM and such serious allegations should not be taken lightly if there are no evidences to back them up.

Meanwhile, according to Standing Committee member Leela Mani Pokhrel, the PM had spoken briefly about his accusations on India trying to topple his government, in a manner of clarification.

Read also: PM rants against India in bid to cling to power

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who faces serious challenge from the rival faction that is hell bent to force him either to quit either the Prime Minsterial post or party Co-Chair, played the ‘India card’ yet again, recently, shifting focus from issues apparent by pulling India into the frame.

The dispute between warring factions within the party has invited many a political upheavals in the recent times, the latest 'controversy' being just another addition to the series, even as the country grapples with coronavirus pandemic.