Opposition against Prime Minister Khanal has gained strength in the UML after General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel, an erstwhile supporter of the prime minister, turned into one of his strongest critics. [break]
Almost all the leaders who spoke at the party´s politburo meeting on Friday fiercely criticized Khanal, accusing him of working against the party line and interests. Members from the Nepal-Oli camp claim that Central Committee (CC) members will give Khanal a hard time during the CC meeting slated for May 23.
The UML had earlier decided to allow a Maoist leader to head the security-related ministry only after settling some of the thorny issues related to completing the peace process.
But officials at the prime minister´s office at Baluwatar seem confident that the home ministry row will be over once there is tangible progress in the peace process.
They argue that Prime Minister Khanal took the decision as the Maoist party, at its recent central committee meeting, decided to dump its policy of revolt and committed itself to concluding the peace process and constitution-writing.
They also claimed that Prime Minister Khanal and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal would soon announce something concrete to take the peace process forward, possibly before the UML CC meeting.
"The prime minister and the UCPN (Maoist) chairman are working seriously to settle some of the key issues in this connection and the result is expected soon," said Prime Minister´s Press Advisor Surya Thapa.
But the Nepal-Oli faction is already hardening its stance and claiming that the upcoming CC meeting may take a harsh decision against Chairman Khanal.
Many leaders from the Nepal-Oli camp are even contemplating a demand for convening the party´s special general convention or a meeting of the council of national representatives.
A politburo member said voices have been raised by party rank and file against the prime minister and chairman´s recent decisions.
"The party´s eighth general convention decided to launch an ideological movement against the principles of the UCPN (Maoist) but our chairman is, unfortunately, working as per the Maoist agenda," said the UML politburo member, preferring anonymity.
Can the party take any action against its chairman and prime minister? "It can of course take appropriate action against any leader for working against the mandate of the party´s general convention."
But at the same time leaders from the Nepal-Oli camp fear that such a move may lead to a vertical split in the party --something that they seem unprepared to risk.
"The possibility that the prime minister can go to that extreme should we press hard against him poses a real dilemma for us," said a standing committee member belonging to the Oli-Nepal faction.
Prime Minister Khanal and his close aides appear to have calculated this well and that´s why they seemed less worried about going against the party decision in rewarding the Maoists with the home ministry.
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