Issuing a statement on Sunday, UML party Secretary Yubraj Gyawali, a close confidant of Khanal, said the meeting was postponed as another important party event was to happen around the same time.[break]
He claimed that the CC meeting was postponed because the UML Madhesi wing is holding its national conference for three days starting Thursday. "We took the decision because around 10 CC members said they would be unable to attend the party meeting as they will be busy in the conference. There is no reason behind it other than that," claimed the party secretary.
However, party Spokesperson Pradeep Gyawali said the decision was inappropriate because holding serious discussions about tackling the issue of May 28 [when the Constituent Assembly term ends] has become urgent. "Since the country is at a crucial juncture the party´s CC meeting needed to be called without any delay," said the spokesperson.
However, the secretary said there is no point criticizing the decision because deferral of the CC meet hasn´t hampered any work or decision-making by the party or government.
Leaders from the rival faction led by KP Sharma Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal claimed that the chairman chose to defer the meeting, sensing strong criticism from dissent party leaders.
Party sources said leaders from the Nepal-Oli faction were planning to criticize the prime minister fiercely for not coordinating with party bodies with regard to nominating new ministers and taking other crucial decisions.
"The prime minister is going to face serious questions from CC members over the issue of CA term extension, the post-May 28 issue, selection of ministers, deteriorating law and order and various other subjects," a leader said. "It seems the chairman is not well prepared to face the members´ queries."
Nepal and Oli have criticized Khanal in public for appointing ministers without seeking their consent. The prime minister is likely to be fiercely criticized for appointing Dr. Lharkyal Lama as state minister for finance. Lama has already resigned amidst controversies surrounding his identity, passports and character.
According to leaders, they are also preparing to press the party leadership to reshuffle the roles and responsibilities of many in the party´s key organizational posts. "That is obvious because some leaders, who were ministers earlier, are now ready to shoulder major responsibility in the party, while others who have a key role in party activities have now become ministers," the leader said.
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