Prachanda and Nepal claimed that they were supported by the majority of influential members of the Central Working Committee, while raising their voices against PM Oli.
The executive chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ has told the party staff to plan for the “worst,” as the ongoing tussle of power between him and Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has escalated without any solution in sight.
In recent weeks Oli and Prachanda held at least ten meetings to work out the discrepancies between them. But the talks failed, as the Prime Minister did not accept the one-man-one-post rule. Oli refused to relinquish his position as prime minister and as co-chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (NCP).
A bitter internal feud has been brewing in the ruling NCP since the last few weeks after top party leaders, including Prachanda, demanded Oli’s resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were “neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate.” The opponents of Oli are also against his autocratic style of functioning.
“Our main concern is not about gaining power, what we want is to follow the proper procedure while running the NCP. We are not focusing on gaining any position, but our fight is against the wrong trend developing in the party,” Prachanda told a select group of journalists during a special briefing on Wednesday.
He held the press conference along with three senior party leaders Madhav Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal and party spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha, according to Nagarik daily.
The dissident group accused Oli of trying to damage the image of other senior leaders of the party, the daily reported.
Prachanda also alleged that while the meeting of the Standing Committee was under way , a new party was registered at the Election Commission with the intention of splitting the ruling party on the initiative of Prime Minister Oli, under the name of a lesser-known individual.
“If one chairman (PM Oli) does not follow the proper procedure of the party then how can the unity of the party remain intact,” he wondered.
Prachanda claimed that he and other senior leaders of the party were trying to save the party by creating a favourable situation.
“We are trying for the best outcome but the communists of this country should also be prepared for the worst thing to happen,” Prachanda told media persons, indicating a possible split in the ruling party.
“I had agreed to make Oli Prime Minister for a full 5 years term and enjoy the executive chairman’s position in the party for creating a better environment within the party,” said Prachanda. “Oli has dragged the party towards anarchism by calling separate gatherings,” Prachanda said.
During the press briefing, the senior leaders also accused Prime Minister Oli of making political appointments on his own choice without consulting with the party.
Madhav Nepal accused Oli of working in the vested interest of a certain group and encouraging corrupt people while making appointments.
Meanwhile, PM Oli’s chief advisor Bishnu Rimal has slammed Shrestha. “Don’t encourage groupism in the party at a time when the country is passing through a crisis. Enough is enough,” he wrote on Twitter.
On July 28, Prime Minister Oli postponed the crucial Standing Committee meeting for the ninth time.
While Oli wants to call the Secretariat meeting to resolve the differences, Prachanda says it would be inappropriate to call the Secretariat meeting as the Standing Committee meeting that was put off on July 28 is yet to be over.
Prime Minister Oli wants the Secretariat meeting to resolve the key issues of an intra-party dispute as he now commands a majority in the nine-member body.
As the report states, Prachanda, backed by senior party leader and former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal, believes that the Standing Committee could take decisions that would be favorable to him, as their faction commands a comfortable majority.