The UML party is clearly divided into two factions, one led by Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and the other by KP Sharma Oli, who was defeated by the former in the contest for party chairman during its convention held in February. [break]
The rift took a nasty turn especially after the valley coordination committee formed the Kathmandu district organization committee after dissolving an existing district organization committee headed by Rameshwar Phuyal.
Challenging the party decision, members of the dissolved committee continued with their activities. Phuyal, who is close to Oli, claimed that dissolution of the district committee was against the party statute as the valley coordination committee -- a nominated body -- had no authority to dissolve an elected body. The coordination committee is led by a Khanal loyalist.
Khanal claimed that the district committee was dissolved as per the party statute. "Party organs are being reorganized all across the country as per the statute. We cannot give special consideration to a particular committee," Khanal said while addressing a party cadres´ meet in Kathmandu on Thursday.
He announced that the party leadership would not hesitate to take action against any individual or a party chapter found violating party instructions and discipline.
Indicating Oli, he urged party leaders not to speak against the party in the media as and when they pleased. "If there are any grievances, everyone irrespective of his position is free to openly discuss them at party meetings. But, as a communist party member, one must be guided by party discipline, no one is allowed to speak publicly through media," he said. "Lately, we have seen utter disregard of party discipline. The party will take disciplinary action against such leaders, no matter how senior they are."
Oli had publicly challenged the dissolution of the district committee. Likewise, holding a separate press meet, he spoke against Khanal´s policy on the government-army row at the time of the Maoist-led government.
Gautam denounces Bhandari
Party leaders who addressed the gathering sternly condemned UML vice-chairperson Bidya Bhandari, who had criticized Khanal in a newspaper interview recently.
Vice chairperson Bamdev Gautam described Bhandari´s remarks on the chairman as lowly. "We cannot imagine that such words were spoken by a communist against a leader," Gautam said.
He said the party´s erstwhile leadership had committed a blunder in rejecting the Maoist party´s offer to forge a working alliance during the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections.
Gautam proposed emphatically that the UML must work together with the Maoist party while writing the constitution. He said the party leadership was making one mistake after another in joining hands with the Nepali Congress instead of entering into a working alliance with the Maoist party. "We must polarize with a communist party," he said.
The leaders urged party cadres not to participate in a district level meet called by the Phuyal-led district committee on Saturday. They warned of disciplinary action if any member is found participating the parallel meeting.
Speakers said the Oli camp had instructed its cadres not to participate in Thursday´s gathering.
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