"We don´t find a strong basis to believe that the present government can conclude the constitution writing and peace process as it is formed after the controversial four-point agreement and by excluding democratic forces including the CPN-UML," a statement issued by UML Secretary Yubaraj Gyawali quoted Chairman Khanal as saying at the party´s central committee (CC) meeting on Monday. [break]
However, he was quick to add that the UML would play a role of constructive opposition for accomplishing the tasks of peace and constitution.
According to the participants, most of the CC members who aired their views at the meeting criticized the four-point deal inked between the UCPN (Maoist) and the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) hours before electing Dr Baburam Bhattarai to the post of prime minister last month.
Party´s standing committee member KP Sharma Oli also criticized the deal. "This affair is not just an ordinary episode that we Nepalis remained merely spectators," a leader quoted Oli as saying at the meeting. The leader said it seemed that the alliance forged between the Maoists and the Madhesi forces was a surprise development for Oli as well.
Some of the CC members present at the meeting observed that the two rival factions -- one led by party chairman Khanal and the other by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Sharma Oli -- within the CPN-UML have come together to oppose the Maoist-Madhesi deal.
According to sources, CC member Ghanshyam Bhusal, who is close to the party chairman, argued that leaders from both the factions -- those having a soft-corner for the Maoists and also those who are hardliners against the former rebel party -- failed to come up with the right strategy in anticipation of the deal.
"Some leaders believed that the Maoists should be given due space in the country´s political course and others believed that the alliance among the UML-Nepali Congress-Madhes-based is the natural one. But we all failed miserably to read their gameplan," a leader quoted Bhusal as saying at the meeting.
The CC endorsed the nine agenda items put forth by the party´s standing committee meeting held on Sunday for discussion in the party´s CC meeting and decided to add two more issues -- the review of the party leaders´ performance in the party, government and parliament and UML´s future political course.
"Today´s meeting has set agenda items and the meeting will hold agenda-based discussions starting Tuesday," CC member Khagaraj Adhikari told Republica.
According to him, the meeting on Monday set the mood of the CC members against the four-point deal.
Vice-Chairman Bamdev Gautam, general secretary Ishwar Pokharel, Oli, Adhikari, Raghu Pant, Bhusal, Lalbabu Pundit, Yogesh Bhattarai, Mukunda Neupane, Bijay Paudel, Pradip Gyawali and Asta Laxmai Shakya, among others, aired their views at the meeting.
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