KATHMANDU, March 23: Nepali Congress (NC) senior leaders have come down heavily on the party leadership for the party's poor performance in the elections, blaming this on groupism in the party, some controversial decisions and a failure to give full shape to the party committees.
Speaking at the party Central Working Committee meeting on Friday, which was convened for reviewing the results of the provincial and parliamentary polls, NC leaders Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Prakash Man Singh and Narayan Khadka accused the party leadership of fostering groupism in the party.
The party leaders have demanded a Mahasamiti or party General Convention at the earliest to review the party statute and leadership issues.
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Former general secretary of the party Singh said the party has weakend after President Sher Bahadur Deuba fostered factionalism during his two years as party leader and demanded that this should be discussed at the meeting.
“It is unfortunate that the party is in the weakest position in its entire history as the party president himself has created divisions within it by fostering groupism. Now you tell me whether the president's activities should be discussed in the meeting or not?” Singh asked party members .
Criticizing the party president for failing to appoint party office bearers even two years into his presidency, Singh demanded that the Mahasamiti or general convention of the party should be called to expedite such appointments.
Singh also vented ire against the NC president for several errors in office and for attending a controversial program in Goa, India along with an exiled Tibetan leader.
Another former general secretary Krishna Sitaula accused the party president of monopolising party operations and decision making. “The party president is responsible for paving the way for the communists to take power in the country. We wholeheartily supported the Maoists in the local polls but couldn't retain their support till the provincial and parliamentary polls,” said Sitaula.
Sitaula, who had supported Deuba for party president in the runoff election, recently formed an alliance with the rival party faction led by senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel, for the party's sister wing elections of teachers and civil servants.
He urged the party leadership to correct itself and strengthen the party. Sitaula was of the view that NC's decision to get the late Sushila Koirala to contest against K P Oli of CPN-UML in the prime ministerial election in 2015 was a mistake.
Another party leader, Narayan Khadka, suggested to the party president to initiate the process of ending factionalism in the party in the appointment of party office bearers. Failing to manage multiple aspirants for key party posts, Deuba has not appointed the office bearers for two years .
Remaining NC Central Working Committee members will speak at the meeting scheduled to resume Saturday morning.
