KATHMANDU- Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli-led faction has accused the rival faction led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ of making preparations to vote him out of power.
The Oli-led faction of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) is now accusing other leaders including Prachanda, senior leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal of preparing to register a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister.
The speculation from the Oli-led faction comes in the wake of growing rift in the party. Although Prime Minister and party chairman Oli has mobilized his confidantes to persuade Prachanda to resume dialogue that has been halted for the last few days, he is reluctant to visit Baluwatar to hold one-on-one meetings with Prime Minister Oli.
Prachanda has been blaming Prime Minister Oli of taking decisions unilaterally in the government and party without consultations with him.
As the intra party dispute resurfaces, the Oli-led faction is now accusing the rival factions in the party of making preparations secretly to register a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister.
“There are dissatisfactions against the government expressed within the party. We have heard that Executive Chairman Prachanda is working with senior leader Madhav Nepal and the main opposition Nepali Congress to bring a no-confidence motion against the government,” said a leader close to Prime Minister.
Prachanda is dissatisfied with Prime Minister Oli for his reluctance to implement the report of a task force formed under party General Secretary Bishnu Paudel to resolve intraparty disputes, as well as early September’s standing committee meeting’s decision. The two chairmen’s relations have further soured after the intra party dispute in Karnali province. Prachanda is reportedly disappointed with Prime Minister Oli after his advisor issued a ‘wrong statement’ conflicting with the agreement between two chairmen to end the disputes in Karnali province.
Although the standing committee meeting held on September 1 had decided to run the party and the government based on an agreement between two chairmen, procedure, party statute and system, the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint ambassadors to various countries and cabinet ministers without consulting party co-chair reignited conflict within the party.
The recent visit of the Indian RAW Chief and meeting with the Prime Minister, the Birgunj incident where a district leader of the party was killed and Oli’s letter to Karnali’s Chief Minister instructing him to withdraw action against chief whip have all worsened relations between the party co-chairs.
However, leaders close to Prachanda dismiss such speculations.
“Prachanda working with Nepali Congress to bring a no-confidence motion against the government is nothing more than rumor perpetuated by leaders of the Oli-led faction. We are in favor of moving ahead based on unity and consensus during this adverse situation,” said a standing committee member close to Prachanda. “The intraparty disputes should be settled through dialogues and consensus. But, the Prime Minister has been breaching past agreements rather than implementing them. This is proving tragic for the party,” he added.
