Khanal and Oli in the fray

KATHMANDU, FEB 04 - If there is no breakthrough at the CPN- UML ’s Central Committee (CC) meeting on Tuesday, elections for the post of Parliamentary Party (PP) leader will go ahead on the same day. Party Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and senior leader K P Sharma Oli are likely to contest, with an election slated for 2 pm if the party cannot unanimously select a leader.

The names of two leaders were tabled at the CC meeting on Monday. Senior leader Madhav Nepal proposed Khanal’s name while Vice Chairman Bam Dev Gautam lobbied for Oli as PP candidate. Leaders, however, said that a unanimous decision by the CC remains desirable. “The CC will meet tomorrow and try to find a way out,” said CC member Ghanshyam Bhusal. But he added  that the election could be postponed if CC members seek more time to forge consensus.

Leaders from both sides claim to command a majority among lawmakers. The power equation in the party took a turn after Gautam, who was considered close to Chairman Khanal, decided to back Oli. Gautam’s move has caused loss to senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal who supported Khanal in what party leaders say was an attempt to alienate Oli from the party.

In their ‘gentleman’s understanding’ forged on Saturday night, Gautam agreed to support Oli as PP leader while Gautam is to lead the party in a future NC-led government.

Gautam, according to the agreement, will also back Oli as party chief in the convention while Gautam will be fielded for the position of senior vice-chairman. If Oli is granted the opportunity to lead the government after being elected party chief, the authority to run the party would be handed over to Gautam as acting party chief.

In an effort to hone their strategies, both sides have held separate meetings. While the Oli-Gautam camp is holding a meeting in the Alpha-Beta complex at New Baneshwor, the Khanal-Nepal faction is engaged in closed-door meetings at World Trade Centre, Tripureshwor. The Oli-Gautam camps have been confident after General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel, along with some youth leaders, joined their faction. “We have a strong command and Oli will emerge victorious,” said UML lawmaker Karna Thapa.

Earlier in the day, CC members exchanged their views on selecting the PP leader. Supporters of Oli called for ‘one-person one-post’, arguing that the chairman cannot be PP leader. In addition, they also said that the PP leader should be a person who has not been afforded the opportunity in the past.

Khanal supporters meanwhile cited tradition, arguing that the chairman should also be the PP leader.

But leaders close to Chairman Khanal maintained that they would win. “Our effort is to strike consensus. But in the case of an election, the chairman will win,” said CC leader Parshuram Meghi Gurung. The election of the PP leader and the web of alliances surrounding the appointment are expected to have an impact on the upcoming party convention in April.

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