Kathmandu, August 13:

The standing committee meeting of the CPN-UML today discussed a report presented by general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, a “review” on the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led coalition government by standing committee member Jhala Nath Khanal and yet another report on a “political way out of the current political morass” by K P Sharma Oli. These reports will be tabled for discussion during the ninth central committee meeting scheduled to begin on Monday. UML standing committee member Khanal told this daily that Nepal’s report has focussed mainly on the post-February 1 scenario, effective management of the seven-party alliance’s movement and its unity, and requirement of further clarification on the alliance’s common agenda.

Khanal’s report, prepared by a nine-member taskforce, has delved into the political situation that led the party to join the Deuba-led government, which was dissolved by the King on February 1. Khanal said his report concluded that the coalition government failed to implement its 43-point common minimum programme, correct regression or provide relief to the people hit by insurgency. “My report’s conclusion is that the Deuba-government failed in its mission of restoring peace,” he said. He conceded that his team could not review the period of 14 years of democratic rule, due to “lack of time”. “We will definitely review the period at an appropriate time,” he said.

A UML central committee member, however, said that Khanal was advised to drop the idea of reviewing the democratic period as the review, if ever made, would embarrass the Nepali Congress, which had remained in power most of the time. Besides, it would also create misunderstandings in the alliance. The ninth central committee meeting will also discuss the Oli report, which, according to party insiders, stressed on reconciliation between democratic forces and the King.