KATHMANDU, April 23: The bitter row between the government and the state army might have served as a catalyst for precipitating intra-party wranglings in the two ruling parties – CPN-UML and Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF). But, the feuds were already there since a long time, keeping both the parties divided internally along multiple lines.
The most visible feud has surfaced in the second largest ruling party, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), with the party establishment (led by Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal) siding closely with the government and the rebel faction led by KP Sharma Oli vehemently opposing the Maoists. [break]
Though Khanal delegated his authority to party Vice-Chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Bam Dev Gautam for the duration of his current visit to China, Oli, flanked by some of his loyalists, held a press conference at party headquarters Tuesday and accused the ruling Maoists of preparing for renewed conflict and bloodshed in trying to sack army chief Rookmangud Katawal.
On the other hand, party general secretary Ishwar Pokharel told journalists that it was the government’s prerogative to seek clarifications from any government unit. And Gautam told journalists that Khanal, before leaving for China, entrusted him to support the decision of the government if the latter registers a proposal in the cabinet to sack the army chief.
UML leaders argue that the party establishment’s pro-Maoist stance in the government-Nepal Army (NA) row contradicts the party’s past decisions on the same three issues over which the government sought clarifications from Katawal: fresh recruitment into the army, extension of terms for eight generals and boycotting of the national games by the Nepal Army team after the inclusion of teams from the Maoist’s People´s Liberation Army.
The UML had said in the past that the army recruitment should not be stopped as it had already crossed certain procedural stages. The second largest ruling party also said not extending the terms of the eight NA generals was a wrong move. Likewise, the UML was against the decision to include the PLA teams in the national games at the eleventh hour and without completing the necessary procedures.
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“Hence, there is no point in supporting the Maoist decision to the point of sacking the army chief over clarifications about the same three issues on which our party has already taken clear decisions,” UML central member Pradip Gyawali told myrepublica.com. Gyawali, who is close to the Oli camp, said there must be consistency in the UML’s stances.
If the statement by Home Minister Gautam, who is also acting chairman of the party, is anything to go by, UML chairman Khanal has given the party’s consent to Katawal´s sacking.
“It seems that there is a communications gap somewhere,” Gyawali said, adding, “May be the leaders’ green signal meant only to the extent of seeking clarifications from the army chief but not to the point of sacking him.”
MPRF too riled by internal feud
The MPRF too has long been divided between party chairman Upendra Yadav, who is also foreign minister in the government, and senior leader Bijay Kumar Gachchhedar, who is physical planning minister.
On Tuesday, MPRF leader Sharat Singh Bhandari protested in the House against the government decision to seek clarifications from the army chief. And its lawmakers boycotted the House session. A day later, when party chairman Yadav made his remarks at the MPRF parliamentary meeting supporting the government move, no member dared to challenge him. A senior MPRF leader, talking to myrepublica.com said the chairman always takes “unilateral” decisions.
The internal rift led the party to boycott the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Bhandari said a meeting of the political wing of his party Wednesday evening decided to seek consensus from all parties while taking crucial decisions on serious issues like the army and national security. “There is no division in the party about this,” Bhandari said.
