KATHMANDU, Sept 29: While Prime Minister KP Oli is busy holding bilateral meetings at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York, a section of leaders from his party, Nepal Communist Party, are mounting pressure against him. 

Dissatisfied over poor governance and the ‘monopoly’ in running the party, some party bigwigs led by former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal have warned Oli, who is also a chairman of the recently unified NCP, that he needs better performance in governance and in accommodating their concerns. Senior leaders of the ruling party, who were present at a tea reception organized by Nepal, expressed their dissatisfaction over Oli’s ‘arbitrary decisions’ in the government and his monopoly in the party. 

The Nepal-led faction of the party has accused Oli of negotiating only with Pushpa Kamal Dahal in making crucial party decisions and while running the government. They vented their feelings of being sidelined in both government and party. 

“It seems the prime minister wants to run the party and the government without consulting any party leader other than Pushpa Kamal Dahal. But that is no way to run party or government,” said NCP leader Ghanashyam Bhusal, adding, “We are demanding internal democracy in the party and better performance by the government.” 

At the gathering which was organized to share views among the disgruntled, the party leaders stressed the need of taking up these issues with the prime minister soon after he returns to Nepal. Oli’s comrades have been feeling sidelined after the new party was formed through unification with the Dahal-led Maoists. 

Frustrated with the government’s performance, Bam Dev Gautam, who was considered one of Oli’s confidants, was also present at Friday’s tea reception. Senior NCP leader Jhala Nath Khanal, however, was absent at the gathering. 

One disgruntled leader said Oli had appointed a province-in-charge, a chief and a deputy chief when Nepal was abroad. “When Madhav Nepal asked about the naming of provincial chiefs, he [Oli] gave assurances that such decisions would be taken only after his (Nepal’s) return. But Oli took all these decisions when Nepal was abroad,” said the disgruntled leader. 

Addressing parliament on Thursday, ex-PM Nepal had criticized the government for failing to improve service delivery and expedite development projects down to the people’s level. The government is being criticized from all quarters for failing to book the guilty in the rape and murder a 13-year-old Nirmala Panta. 

“The party is not functioning. Frustrations are growing among the public. So, we will take up these and other issues shortly after the prime minister returns,” said Bhusal.

 
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