Koirala expressed reservation over the proposed ´collective leadership´ during a tea party he hosted for the party´s central committee members at his residence at Maharajgunj on Sunday morning.
"I have heard that you are amending the party´s statute to go to multi-post system," a NC CC member quoted Koirala as saying. "No party president will be able to work if he is not given some privileges."
A committee formed last year by the party under central member Krishna Prasad Sitaula´s coordination to suggest amendment to the party statute has proposed electing three general secretaries, three joint general secretaries and two vice presidents. The committee has proposed to give the party president the right to nominate one vice president, one general secretary and one joint general secretary.
At present, the party president is authorized to nominate all vice presidents, general secretary and joint general secretary. Additionally, 50 percent central members are nominated by the party president. The committee has proposed nomination of only 20 of 71 central members by the president.
Koirala asked the central members to make the party president strong so as to smoothly run the party. "NC will have to face the fate of UML if the party president is made weaker," another central member quoted Koirala as saying.
Koirala was referring to relatively weaker position of the UML Chairman after that party adopted multi-post system through its general convention in Butwal in February. According to NC Spokesperson Arjun Nara Singh KC, Koirala asked the central members not to engage in intra-party disputes over minor issues and focus on successfully holding the 12th general convention in mid-February, 2010. "I will be able relieve myself from party responsibilities after the convention," he quoted Koirala as saying.
Avoids Sujata issue
Most of the central members had expected that president Koirala would say something about the issue of his daughter and foreign minister Sujata Koirala skipping the prime minister´s India trip allegedly after she was denied deputy prime ministership. But, to their dismay, Koirala did not bring any reference to the issue at the tea party.
Thinking that it would be good to ask if he had asked the prime minister to appoint his daughter as deputy prime minister without the notice of the party´s parliamentary party and central committee, a central member dared to raise the issue before him.
But as there was none with enough guts to add further, Koirala silenced him by scolding him to leave the ´minor issue´ aside. He told him, "You better focus on accomplishing the party´s general convention."
"Koirala smartly avoided the issue even as we wanted him to speak about it," said a central member.
The NC PP meeting on Saturday had rejected the reply sent by Sujata through a letter and insisted that she present herself in person before the committee on Tuesday to furnish the reasons behind her eleventh hour decision not to accompany the prime minister to India.
Sujata, who seemed unaffected by strong condemnation from all quarters including her own party for her action, had decided to challenge the party after holding meeting with her father.
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