Kathmandu, November 3

Nepali Congress Central Working Committee members today raised question on the competence of top leaders and suggested that they either clear the way for the new generation to drive the party or bring about drastic change in their attitude and working style.

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• NC top leaders engage in blame game

Stating that the decision to field party President Sushil Koirala as candidate for the prime ministerial election was a blunder and had worked against the interest of the country, people and the future of Nepali Congress, most of the speakers at the CWC meeting today criticised the party leadership.

They also advised the party leadership to take special initiative to address the concerns of the agitating Madhesi people through amendments of the new constitution and political negotiation, said CWC member Balkrishna Khand.

Most of the speakers censured the top leaders, mainly party president Sushil Koirala, for his inappropriate decision.

However, some of Koirala’s supporters, including Dilendra Prasad Badu, Shekhar Koirala, Minendra Rijal, Kalyan Kumar Gurung and Guru Raj Ghimire defended the decision to break the coalition with CPN-UML, saying the party was a major rival of the NC, and pleaded that it would be in the interest of the NC and the people from the long-term perspective.

“Breaking the partnership with UML was imperative for the interest of both the people and the party, but it was due to the managerial weakness of party leaders that a timely and appropriate decision on forming another coalition could not be taken,” Shekhar Koirala told the meeting, according to sources.

Bimalendra Nidhi, according to sources, told the meeting that the party should take the lead role in moving ahead with the constitution amendment bill registered by the NC-led government to address the issues of the Madhesi community. He suggested that citizenship-related provisions be made more flexible.

Balkrishna Khand said party workers and people were demoralised and frustrated due to the decisions taken by the party leadership in relation to the prime ministerial election.

“The NC’s claim for prime ministership damaged the both the party and the party president. Now, the party leadership should either be transformed or the party workers would force it to retire,” Khand said.

Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said it was the party’s blunder to remain in opposition by going against the spirit of coalition culture. He suggested that the party should take the lead role to resolve the problem of Madhes and bring Nepal-India relations that had been troubled during the NC’s government back to the right track.

Keshav Kumar Budhathoki, a diehard supporter of Koirala, also criticised him. “I was nominated CWC member by the party president and thus I am supposed to be loyal to him. However, I suggest that he sack me if he disagrees with me. But I must say he should not fight for the party’s presidency again. If he shows interest again it will invite misfortune for the party,” Budhathoki said, according to sources.

Surya Man Gurung suggested that old-generation leaders retire gracefully and give a chance to the newer generation to handle the party.

Nabindra Raj Joshi said the party leadership had failed to grasp the sentiments of both the hill community, which is chanting high-sounding slogans of nationalism, and the agitating Madhesi community. The party leadership should correct the course.

The meeting will resume at 11:00am tomorrow.