KATHMANDU, JUN 26 -
As former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Parliamentary Party
Leader KP Sharma Oli battle for the top party post in the CPN-UML’s
upcoming general convention, both the leaders are trying to take party
Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal into confidence for securing their victory.
Nepal and Oli believe Khanal’s role will be of a game changer in their
quest for the party chairmanship. Of late, Khanal has not taken side of
any leader in terms of extending his support for the convention
scheduled for July 3. Though, majority of Khanal’s supporters have
joined Nepal and Oli factions to secure their position, party leaders
said his influence could still affect the outcome. Party leaders said at
least 200 Khanal supporters have been elected from grass-roots level as
convention representatives and their vote would be crucial in the new
party chairman.
In their bid to get support, both the factions are offering lucrative
proposals to Khanal. Oli faction has assured Khanal of fielding as
presidential candidate from the party while Nepal’s supporters want to
offer him the prime ministerial post if the party gets chance to lead
the government. Ghanshyam Bhusal, a leader close to Nepal, said his
panel would field Khanal as prime ministerial candidate. “We are for
presenting him as the next prime minister from our party” he said.
Oli panel, however, wants to field Khanal as presidential candidate
allotting the prime ministerial post for Oli. “We are not for political
bargaining. He is playing very neutral role in the party so far and we
are happy for such role,” said Pradeep Gyawali, a leader close to Oli.
“If the party is provided such opportunity, he is our presidential
candidate.”
In a seven-point agreement signed by the Nepali Congress and the UML in
February, both the parties have agreed to promulgate the new
constitution and elect new president within a year of signing the
accord.
On the other hand, Khanal, who is stressing for electing party’s new
leadership through consensus, has expressed his desire to lead the party
for another term if fellow leaders elect him unanimously. Khanal has
claimed leadership for upgrading party’s position in the November 19
Constituent Assembly (CA) election. UML, which was placed in third
position with 33 seats under the first-past-the-post- election in 2008
CA polls, has emerged as the second largest party with 91 seats in the
second CA.
A handful of Khanal supporters such as Bhim Acharya, Gokarna Bista,
Purushottam Poudel and Shatrughan Mahato still want to elect Khanal
unanimously for the next term.
However, party insiders see no possibility of electing party leadership
through consensus as Nepal and Oli are already in the fray. Both the
leaders seem not ready to backtrack from their position after they
reportedly have almost equal number of representatives elected through
recently completed nation-wide representative selection. “Consensus is
possible only if Nepal gives up his ambition. I see no such
possibility,” UML leader Prithivi Subba Gurung said. Around 1,900
representatives elected from all 75 districts and aboard will elect the
new leadership.
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