Kathmandu, November 1

Nepali Congress central working committee members today sought clarification from the party leadership on why the party had broken consensus among the major political forces and why a candidate was fielded in the prime ministerial election.

After 11 CWC members demanded a statement from party office bearers about the party’s “poor” performance and loss of position in every national political front in terms of keeping consensus politics intact and handling power sharing of key state and government positions, the CWC meeting was postponed till 8:00am tomorrow, according to CWC member Bal Krishna Khand.

Also, CWC member Shankar Bhandari urged party President Sushil Koirala to step down as leader of the Parliamentary Party and call fresh PP election as the party needed an able leadership to drive it.

“The party is losing out on every front of national politics despite being the largest party and there is widespread disappointment and anger among the rank and file. If the party leadership does not take responsibility for this degrading position, party members will have to take things in their own hands,” Bhandari told the meeting, according to sources.

CWC member Gopal Man Shrestha questioned, “Why did the party president fight an election he was going to lose? Why did Madhesi parties take part in voting then and boycott elections for president, vice-president, Speaker and Deputy Speaker? Should the party leadership not justify?”

Joint General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka, who had resigned the post after Koirala’s decision to file candidacy for the PM’s election, said, “I am witness to 90 per cent decisions of the top three leaders regarding the new constitution and power sharing. So, I would like to present the reality to the CWC in their presence.” He is scheduled to speak tomorrow in detail.

After CWC members including Kul Bahadur Gurung, Ram Sharan Mahat, Bal Krishna Khand, Prakash Sharan Mahat and Man Bahadur Bishwakarma demanded justification for the steps taken by party leaders after promulgation of the new constitution on September 20, the meeting was postponed without entering the formal agenda, according to CWC member Dhana Raj Gurung.

Khand said, “The three top leaders have different opinions about the prime ministerial election – one says the party broke the gentlemen’s agreement, another says it was a democratic exercise and another says he would have won the PM’s election had he been the candidate. Should they not justify why they are saying so?”

The CWC members also sought justification for names proposed by General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula to handle preparatory works related to NC’s upcoming National General Convention slated from March 3 to 6.

Publicity department chief Minendra Rijal opposed the name of Dilendra Prasad Badu, who was proposed as chief of the part’s publicity committee for the NGC.

“As I am the chief of publicity department what is the justification for proposing another person as chief for the convention?” Rijal told the meeting, according to party sources.