KATHMANDU, Dec 15: Senior Vice-Chair of the CPN-UML Ishwar Pokhrel openly challenged party chair KP Sharma Oli’s move to amend the party statute to expand the number of the party’s office bearers to 19 from the existing 15, just ahead of the closed-door session of the party’s 11th general convention at Bhrikutimandap on Sunday.
The party’s second Statute Convention, held in Godawari from September 5 to 7, had endorsed the concept of a “small and smart” leadership structure, fixing the number of office bearers at 15.
However, Oli on Sunday decided to expand the number of office bearers, a move widely seen as an attempt to cement his position at the helm of the party. Pokhrel, who has been lobbying to contest the party chair, strongly objected to the expansion of the central committee, arguing that repeated amendments to the party statute undermine the relevance and credibility of the statute convention itself.
Chairman Oli announces names of UML's office-bearers, Ishwor Po...
Dissatisfied leaders also alleged that Oli pushed the amendment onto the agenda through his close allies instead of formally tabling it himself. The proposal was opposed by several senior UML leaders, including Ishwar Pokhrel, Yubaraj Gyawali, Astalakshmi Shakya, Surendra Pandey, Gokarna Bista and Yogesh Bhattarai.
Addressing the delegates, Pokhrel cited Oli’s own political philosophy as outlined in his book ‘Jabaja ra Party Jivan ko Loktantrikaran’ (People’s Multiparty Democracy and the Democratization of Party Life). “In the book, the chair himself has written about the need for age limits for top leaders, a two-term limit and the importance of nurturing new leadership. I urge comrades to read it at least once,” Pokhrel said.
Oli has argued in the book that new leadership cannot emerge if senior leaders cling to power indefinitely. Before becoming party chair, Oli had similarly criticised then chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal on the same grounds. Oli was first elected party chair in July 2014 by the UML’s ninth general convention.
Earlier, while addressing a meeting of the central committee ahead of the closed-door session, Oli criticised Pokhrel, accusing him of advancing “someone else’s agenda” against the party leadership in the name of constructive criticism.
“Under the pretext of constructive criticism within the party, some are carrying others’ agendas,” Oli said, reportedly expressing anger over internal calls for action against him. He questioned whether such demands amounted to seeking punishment against him as the head of the former government, noting that even opposition parties and the media had not made similar calls.
A total of 2,262 delegates attended the closed-door session on Sunday. The UML General Convention will conclude on Monday, electing either Pokharel or re-electing Oli for a third term.
