KATHMANDU, Aug 21: Disagreeing with the party’s recent decisions, mainly the work division of party leaders and his own order of precedence in the party ranking, ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has registered a note of dissent at the Secretariat, the party’s highest body. 

Submitting a seven-point note of dissent in writing, leader Nepal has strongly demanded that the ‘One Leader, One Chief Position’ policy be implemented in the party. Registering the note of dissent at the party, Nepal, who is also a former prime minister, has stated that the current Prime Minister KP Oli, who is also a NCP Chairman, should choose one between the two positions. 

“It cannot be considered justifiable when some people are given multiple responsibilities ignoring seniority and others are not getting even a single responsibility and are thus made to feel humiliated,” states the note of dissent, “Thus, the ‘one person, one chief responsibility’ policy should be applied in the party rank and file including the party chairpersons.” 

PM Oli and some of his trusted leaders hold dual responsibilities in the party and the government. Despite being the prime minister, Oli himself holds the position of party chief. 

His trusted leaders such as Prithvi Subba Gurung, Shankar Pokharel and Sherdhan Rai, who are elected chief ministers of various provincial governments, are also named party’s provincial in-charges in their provinces.

Similarly, leader Nepal has accused the party leadership of sidelining several senior leaders from party roles while constituting the party organization from center to local levels. 
Nepal has been expressing his dissatisfaction in recent days after he was demoted in the party’s rank. Nepal was placed in the third rank after two chairpersons — Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal - after two communist parties, CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center), merged into one - the NCP. 

A recent Secretariat meeting comprising top nine party leaders, however, placed Nepal at a lower rank in the order of precedence while determining hierarchy in the party. The party has now replaced Nepal in fifth position after two chairpersons, Vice-chairperson Bam Dev Gautam and former PM Jhala Nath Khanal. 

Previously, Khanal was ranked below Nepal, when the leaders announced the unification of two parties to form a powerful communist party. 

Secretariat meeting created a position of vice-chairperson especially for Gautam and placed Khanal in third rank citing he was senior most leader of the then UML party. 

As Khanal was promoted to higher ranks Nepal has proposed to promote deputy-general Secretary Ghanshyam Bhusal and three vice-chairpersons of the then UML—Bhim Rawal, Asta Laxmi Shakya and  Yubaraj Gyawali as members of the existing Secretariat. 

After reshuffle in hierarchy and work division of central leaders, the order of precedence has taken a center stage in recent days. Arguing his proposal is appropriate for bolstering the party’s presence, leader Nepal has warned that party’s performance will be further ineffective if bias prevails in allocating responsibilities of party leaders.

 
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