Gautam who arrived in Janakpur to settle the party´s organizational differences in Dhanusha and Mahottari districts said the president´s move to reinstate the former army chief Rookmangud Katawal was in no way ´constitutional´. "Where does it say in the constitution that the government sacks and the president reinstates the army chief?" he asked.
Speaking at a press conference organized in Janakpur, Gautam said 18 political parties had encouraged the president to take a wrong move.
He said that the UML followed what Nepali Congress asked to avoid additional problems since there were only eight months left to prepare a new constitution.
He argued that the UML is not supporting the Maoists in their demand to debate the presidential move in the parliament to placate the Nepali Congress as the current government is formed with the support from the Congress.
Gautam lauded the Maoist movement for the cause of ´civilian supremacy´ and added that his party would stand ready to address the issues raised by the Maoists if the NC did not show any reservations.
There have been differences in the UML district committees in Dhanusha and Mahottari after the eighth general convention of the party. Another senior leader of the party K P Oli was in Mahottari when Gautam arrived in Janakpur to settle the differences.
"Oli has been organizing a meeting in illegal manner when the party´s meeting is under way in Dhanusha," he said. "There will be reporting in the party against Oli and central members Yog Narayan Yadav, Raghu Bir Mahaseth, and Krishna Gopal and appropriate action will be taken against them."
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