BUTWAL, Feb 17: Consensus is less likely to prevail in the ongoing eighth general convention of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) as at least two of the three leaders – Jhala Nath Khanal, KP Sharma Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal – are all set to vie for the top party post of chairman.
UML General Convention: Possibility of consensus on posts other...
Erstwhile general secretary Jhala Nath Khanal, who dissolved the Central Committee Tuesday afternoon, told journalists that he is “going ahead”, without elaborating. On Monday, he had said party workers from across the country were asking him to stand for the post of party chairman. [break]
A convention delegate close to Oli told myrepublica.com that the vocal critic of the ruling Maoists wouldn´t back out from the fray. Former UML general secretary Madhav Nepal is still undecided. Nepal’s supporters say he doesn’t rule out standing for the top party post. As both Khanal – seen as having soft corner for the Maoists – and Oli -- the Maoist’s die-hard critic – are determined to stand for the position as of Tuesday, election for the top post is going to prevail over consensus, the delegate said.
“In case there is a consensus, Nepal is going to be chosen the leader,” he said. “In case of election, Nepal will throw his weight behind Oli.”
When contacted, Nepal told myrepublica.com that he was still not in a position to say anything. “I won’t say anything now,” he said. “The environment will be created a few days after the closed-door meetings. Those who have abilities will come to the leadership.”
Interestingly, Oli told journalists Tuesday that the “rumor of toppling the government is a myth”. “UML won’t side with the Maoists, nor will it go with Nepali Congress,” said Oli. “The party workers will give me appropriate responsibilities”.
On Maoist’s perceived opposition to his election as the UML´s top leader, Oli quipped, “You heard the speech yesterday (of Prime Minister and Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal).” Dahal had warned the UML against siding with “reactionaries” (indirectly referring to Congress), while calling on the UML for a leftist unity. Maoist leaders have expressed uneasy relations with Oli, who if elected the leader, is thought to be impacting the party´s relationship with the Maoists so overtly cultivated by Khanal.
Whatever the outcome of this convention, which is dubbed the “convention on unity” by all the UML leaders, the outgoing party chief Khanal has the least chance of being elected the party chair, according to UML delegates approached by myrepublica.com. “Be it election or the consensus, Khanal’s chances are less.”
tilak@myrepublica.com
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