KATHMANDU, March 16: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has directed the leaders and cadres of his party, the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), not to join in the ‘factional national gathering’ being organized by the party’s rival faction led by senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.
A day before the scheduled national gathering of the Nepal-led faction, PM Oli, who is also the chairman of the party, urged the party leaders and cadres to skip the gathering. “I have heard of a factional gathering taking place tomorrow. I‘d like to urge all leaders and cadres of the CPN (UML) not to join in such a meeting and stand in favor of party unity,” he said.
NC meeting: Let's end factions and sub-factions in party
Oli, addressing a tea reception organized by a section of the party close to him at Baluwatar on Tuesday, shared that they are ready to accept and welcome the Nepal-faction though the disgruntled side has ‘committed a grave crime’. “From now on, they should stay disciplined,” said Oli.
On the occasion, he also reminded of the decision of the rival faction to oust him from the party -- even as an ordinary member - of the erstwhile Nepal Communist Party (NCP).
The CPN (UML), which was revived through the Supreme Court’s March 7 order, has, however, suffered a vertical split into two factions - one led by Oli himself and the other by party’s senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal. The leaders close to the Nepal faction were not present during the reception in Baluwatar, Kathmandu.
The Oli faction has called a central committee meeting on March 20. The rival faction, however, is organizing a national gathering on Wednesday and Thursday.
