PM election invites intra-party rift in NC and UCPN-Maoist; Oli likely to be 38th PM

CPN-UML chairperson Oli after filing his nomination for the post of Prime Minister.

(Nepalekhabar Commentary) Kathmandu / October 10: The election of the Prime Minister has brought faction within major political parties. Breaking the politics of consensus the two major political parties Nepali Congress and CPN-UML filed their nomination of the post of Prime Minister.

As per earlier agreement, CPN-UML was scheduled to lead the government after the promulgation of new constitution. However the largest party of the transformed parliament, Nepali Congress decided to filed its president for the post. However the decision of party president to context the election of top executive post brought wrath within his party.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the decision to field party President Sushil Koirala in the prime ministerial election, Nepali Congress leader Purna Bahadur Khadka announced his resignation from the post of Joint General Secretary of the party.

Khadka had been stressing on the unity among three major parties for the formation of new government and implementation of the recently promulgated Constitution and was of the opinion that the party should lend support to CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli in the prime ministerial election.

Khadka said he was giving up the post on the “ground of morality” as the party president Koirala was vying for the prime ministerial berth disrespecting the essence of unity among the major parties in the wake of promulgation of new Constitution and breaching an agreement among the top leaders of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN-Maoist.

Khadka announced his resignation at the meeting of office-bearers, saying the very decision would inflict harm to the Nepali Congress, democracy and current political situation. Party President Sushil Koirala and other leaders did not react to his announcement, according to Khadka.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the party’s move to file candidacy for the post of Prime Minister, youth leader of the party Gagan Thapa said that the decision is unfortunate and it is influenced from foreign force. He said that the party decision is against the sprite of party decision and alleged that party president took the decision at the tune of India.

It is unlikely that Koirala would get the post but he filed candidacy in the hope that India would convince some tarai based parties in his favour and could support him to garner majority. However there is slim chance that he will get the majority as Candidate of second largest party of the parliament CPN-UML was backed by third and fourth largest parties of the parliament UCPN-Maoist and RPP Nepal apart from other fringe parties.

In another incident, as many as 29 central committee members of the UCPN-Maoist objected to the party decision to support CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli for the new Prime Minister. Most of the dissident leaders are considered close to leader Baburam Bhattarai, who left the party after promulgation of the new Constitution. It is said that Dr. Bhattarai is considered close to India and he resigned from the second top post of the party at the tune of India.

They said the party’s decision to support Oli unconditionally has put the nation at a further risk. However both the parties signed 14-point deal for power sharing and resolving the problems dogging the country.

“It has been made public that our party has decided to support the UML-led government without any concrete and reliable foundation to solve the existing national problems,” they said in a press statement today.

Dubbing the decision wrong and irresponsible, the leaders said the party instead should have led all parties to solve the current political crisis and bring the agitating forces to the negotiation table. Signatories of the statement include Devendra Paudel, Ram Chandra Jha, Hisila Yami, Prabhu Sah, Mahendra Paswan, Ram Rijhan Yadav and Khimlal Devkota among others.

If there is not any major twist in the political scenario of the country UML Chairperson will lead the country as the 38th Prime Minister of the country. Oli is considered as rigid leader in the issue of nationality and sharp critics of India during the recent blockade imposed by India, which has been affecting Nepal ahead of two major festivals. It is said that India imposed blockade to check Oli from getting top post of the executive but India is unlikely to succeed this time. Oli, who is considered a leader with clean image, is welcomed at the top post with acute shortage of petroleum products and agitation in tarai. These are the big challenges in front of him. Oli if elected as 38th Prime Minister of the country need to mobilize all resources and mechanism of the country for providing immediate relief to the people by supplying needful petroleum products as the major festivals of the country are approaching in couple of days. He need to airlift petroleum products to meet immediate needs and seek India’s alternative in the long run.

Rather than going with all their unnecessary demands, Oli should hold dialogue with tarai based political parties to fulfil their genuine demands and expose their wrongdoings at the public. Although he is becoming the Prime Minister at a critical time but this is suitable time to strengthen the tie of national unity as the while country was united against India’s interference in the political affairs of the country and standing to the side of government to encourage it not to accept unnecessary demands of India and stand at its own. Many people have seen Oli’s victory as the victory of Nepali people due to his stand in the national issues but it is the challenge for him to maintain the same and maintain good relation with southern neighbour.